The Prophecy - A Vision of Escaflowne Fanfiction
by dragonmmho
Summary: A continuation story that happens 6 years after the Great War and a young girl with Hitomi's green eyes appears before Van bearing a message from his beloved. *FULL SPOILERS*
1. Prologue

The Prophecy: Prologue

**The Prophecy**

**_A Vision of Escaflowne Fanfiction_**

The standard disclaimer: Yeah, okay I stole these characters from the marvelous creators of The Vision of Escaflowne...and Rurouni Kenshin too. Yadda yadda yadda. Please don't sue me ^_^ The main story line is of my own delusional imaginings. Yadda yadda yadda. Please do not distribute. Thanks. 

**The Twinned shall fall from the Sky.   
A Broken Land shall rise again;   
Vengeance and Hunger as Guidance.   
The Wheel of Fortune turns.   
Feathers tipped in Blood;   
The Dragon's Sword forged in heated Battle.   
Thy Kingdom's Heart it shall possess.**

  


**PROLOGUE**

Hitomi smiled and gently stroked her round belly. "Soon," she crooned, "soon you will see the world..." She leaned back into the pillows of her hospital bed, sighing contently. Now where did Seijuro run off to? 

Seijuro...her companion for life, the father of her children. The tall, red haired man who was built like a tree trunk but as gentle as a lamb. Seijuro's gentleness was one of the reasons why she loved him so. He made her laugh. She loved him because under that gentleness there was a determination and a backbone of steel Hitomi could appreciate. 

Hitomi chuckled to herself. She never thought that she would fall in love with a big man like Seijuro. She never though she would fall in love with anyone...else. Seijuro was so different from...from...

She winced as a contraction hit her. The contractions were closer together so it wouldn't be long now. She stared out her hospital window looking at the night sky and the pale luminous moon. She daydreamed about what her life would be like with the sounds of little feet running around the house.

Her eyes widened as the pale moon took on an ominous colour. She could feel her heart beat harder.

"This feeling...no, it can't be." she whispered, terrified. It had been years since she told the future, and she had refused to do it ever again.

She heard the chime of rings clashing together and a hollow voice speaking. It was her own.

"The Twinned shall fall from the Sky..."

Flashes of fields, of trees, a place forgotten. Gaea. The Twin moons rising high in the sky, and then turning red as blood.

"A Broken Land shall rise again..."

Poverty, destitution, children running with bare feet through streets rundown and filthy...

"Vengeance and Hunger as Guidance..."

The face of a new born child, adrogynous, staring with wide, unseeing eyes and fair lashes...then a dark figure rising, a cloak swirling around it, carrying a sword...dripping a dark, viscous liquid.

"The Wheel of Fortune turns..."

The wheel turns and spins, changing fortunes and destinies...

"Feathers tipped in Blood..."

Large, white wings unfurl; feathers flying. The tips are red.

"The Dragon's Sword forged in heated Battle..."

A flare of fire lashes out. A single figure wades through bodies of the fallen...

"Thy Kingdom's Heart it shall possess..."

Fanelia rises out from the mountains...and then, nothing.

Hitomi screamed, and there was pain.

"Doctor! She's ready!"

On Gaea, Van awoke, gasping for air. His mind was swirling with of chaotic images. His body was bathed in a cold sweat. He looked out the window. He saw the Mystic Moon engulfed in a flaming red aura, and shuddered.

[Go to Chapter 1   
"Goodbyes"][1]

Back to   
[_The Prophecy_'s Main Page][2]
Back to   
[_The Prophecy_'s Chapters Page][3]
E-mail Me!   
[ trademmho@home.com][4]

_The Prophecy_, original artwork and links © Melinda Ho 1999-2001. All rights reserved.   
The Vision of Escaflowne title, names and characters © Hajime Yadate and Shouji Kawamori.   
This fanfiction also includes parts from the anime/manga Rurouni Kenshin, all characters and references to it the property of Sony and Nobuhiro Watsuki.   
_The Prophecy_ is a fanfiction, and is not for sale or profit and for personal use only. Do not distribute. 

   [1]: http://members.tripod.com/dragonmmho/escaflowne1f.html
   [2]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/escaflowne.html
   [3]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/chapters.html
   [4]: mailto:trademmho@home.com



	2. Chapter 1 - Goodbyes

The Prophecy: Chapter 1

**The Prophecy**

**_A Vision of Escaflowne Fanfiction_**

The standard disclaimer: Yeah, okay I stole these characters from the marvelous creators of The Vision of Escaflowne...and Rurouni Kenshin too. Yadda yadda yadda. Please don't sue me ^_^ The main story line is of my own delusional imaginings. Yadda yadda yadda. Please do not distribute. Thanks. 

**The Twinned shall fall from the Sky.   
A Broken Land shall rise again;   
Vengeance and Hunger as Guidance.   
The Wheel of Fortune turns.   
Feathers tipped in Blood;   
The Dragon's Sword forged in heated Battle.   
Thy Kingdom's Heart it shall possess.**

  


**CHAPTER 1 "Goodbyes"**

"It's time. You need to find him, and I don't have much time left..."

Sunlight poured through the window in the tiny hospital room. The young woman shivered. Although the sun was warm, the stark, white walls made everything seem so cold and sterile. How could her mother, a being of happiness and joy, survive in a place that seemed so hostile to living things?

"Mom, rest. You shouldn't get so worked up..." She patted her mother's hand and looked down at the traveling sack that her mother insisted she should bring with her on her journey. Her mother was so frail, wasting away from an illness the doctors could not diagnose, much less cure. She supposed there wasn't a cure for a broken heart anyway, even in this modern age. How could she leave her now? All of this was her fault, her father, her brother, now this. She blamed herself...for everything.

"Seiki."

She looked up meeting piercing green eyes, the colour of leaves, identical to her own. Her mother smiled at her and reached out to stroke her pale hair lovingly. 

"You look nothing like your father..." she whispered, "Yet, you have his temperament and his love for life. You even have a part of me that I can see. I am glad to have a daughter like you." Her father had vibrant red hair, while her brother's and her own were pale as light. They both knew that their unusual colouring came from their father's eccentric mother. She would have preferred her own mother's sandy blonde hair any day of the week.

Her mother tugged off the heavy gold ring she had worn since the funeral and held it out to her. She flinched.

"Take it. It's my last wish. It was your father's and I think he meant for you to have it."

She shook her head.

"I insist." Her mother's tone was exasperated, impatient with her daughter's stubbornness. 

"It has been so from teacher to student for generations. Your father was a fool not to tell you the truth until it was too late. He was trying to protect you, our only daughter. It only served to hurt you more that it would have if you knew. 

"He never wanted you as a student, you know. He thought you'd get hurt. It disturbed him to see you take to the art so well. Take it. You must..."

"I don't deserve it!" She almost shouted out the words that burned in her throat. She flicked a nervous glance over her shoulder to make sure the cranky nurse that showed her in earlier didn't come rushing to see what the noise was about. Her mother reached out and grabbed her hand, placing the ring and closing her fingers around it.

The ring burned with heat, making her gasp. Her mother held her hand firmly, grim determination tightening her features.

"You do deserve it, Seiki. You must believe in yourself. Where you're going you cannot carry your doubt within you without consequence. You know that and you know what you must do."

Light rose up from beneath her, surrounding and blinding her. She felt her mother's hand tightened for a minute and heard her call out her father's name. 

"Seijuro! Help me!"

Then her mother let go. She felt herself being tugged upwards, and thought to herself, "This makes no sense...I'm indoors so where would I go?" She look down and saw her mothers face stained with tears. There was a bitter taste in her mouth and she knew that she would never see her mother again. 

"Goodbye, Seiki."

And then there was darkness.

* * * * *

The light was gone, along with her daughter and her hopes. She fell back against the pillows exhausted. The Prophecy had begun and her part had been played out.

She was tired, so tired. She slowly closed her eyes and felt her body relax. It was dark in her mind, and peaceful. She felt her spirit drift free. Opening her eyes she found herself hovering over the shell that was once her body. She studied it, regret foremost in her thoughts. There were so many things that were left undone and so much left unsaid.

Drifting back, she became aware of a light behind her. She was filled with a sense of happiness and peace. She turned and a silhouette appeared in the middle of the light. The silhouette became darker, closing in until a tall, red-haired man stood in front of her. His arms reached out for her, a gentle smile upon his lips.

"Seijuro," she whispered, " You came back for me?...I'm so glad."

Then Hitomi smiled. 

[Go to Chapter 2   
"Strange Acquaintances"][1]

Back to   
[_The Prophecy_'s Main Page][2]
Back to   
[_The Prophecy_'s Chapters Page][3]
E-mail Me!   
[ trademmho@home.com][4]

_The Prophecy_, original artwork and links © Melinda Ho 1999-2001. All rights reserved.   
The Vision of Escaflowne title, names and characters © Hajime Yadate and Shouji Kawamori.   
This fanfiction also includes parts from the anime/manga Rurouni Kenshin, all characters and references to it the property of Sony and Nobuhiro Watsuki.   
_The Prophecy_ is a fanfiction, and is not for sale or profit and for personal use only. Do not distribute. 

   [1]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/escaflowne2f.html
   [2]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/escaflowne.html
   [3]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/chapters.html
   [4]: mailto:trademmho@home.com



	3. Chapter 2 - Strange Acquaintances

The Prophecy: Chapter 2

**The Prophecy**

**_A Vision of Escaflowne Fanfiction_**

The standard disclaimer: Yeah, okay I stole these characters from the marvelous creators of The Vision of Escaflowne...and Rurouni Kenshin too. Yadda yadda yadda. Please don't sue me ^_^ The main story line is of my own delusional imaginings. Yadda yadda yadda. Please do not distribute. Thanks. 

**The Twinned shall fall from the Sky.   
A Broken Land shall rise again;   
Vengeance and Hunger as Guidance.   
The Wheel of Fortune turns.   
Feathers tipped in Blood;   
The Dragon's Sword forged in heated Battle.   
Thy Kingdom's Heart it shall possess.**

  


**CHAPTER 2 "Strange Acquaintances"**

Van Fanel was tired and cranky. They were returning from Asturia, having completed negotiations for a trading treaty, and decided to camp for the night. Van needed to take a walk to stretch out cramped muscles and get away from the stink of sweaty horses. He hated horses. Horses were animals for gentleman such as Allen Schezar. Van would never want to be as refined as a gentleman, though royalty he was. And dammit, he always got saddle sore.

It had been six years since the war with Zaibach, and Fanelia was finally rebuilt to the point where it could stand head to head with other countries. The meeting with the King of Asturia had worked out quite well. Van even had the chance to spar a little with Allen Schezar. It had been quite a while, and Allen had been both impressed and disgusted with how much Van had grown as a swordsman, and well...in height.

"You're making me feel old," Allen had grumbled after Van disarmed him with a quick maneuver. Van had laughed it off, knowing that the same maneuver wouldn't work twice. With Van's new height came reach, and a variety techniques. He was even a bit taller than Allen by about an inch or so. This wasn't too much a surprise since both remembered the towering height of Van's deceased older brother, Folken. The years had also matured and broadened Van's body. His posture and bearing were like Folken when he was 21. Finally, Van had the strength he needed to compliment the agility of youth to wield his sword effectively. 

The sparring match afforded Van a release of tension. This enabled him to sit through the long and tedious meetings with the King Aston and his advisors. He actually managed to keep his composure without yelling at everyone to hurry up. He was thrilled at the arrangement that he worked out with the Asturian King. Thrilled may seem a strong word, but Van was damned happy to get out of that stuffy room with something done. The new trade agreements between their two countries would vastly improve Fanelia's economy. 

Allen had also agreed to follow them back to Fanelia, as soon as he could for Van's 21st birthday. It looked like his sister, Celena, would accompany him as well. On another positive note, Allen had accepted the new position as Asturia's ambassador in Fanelia's court. It was all hush, hush right now though. Van figured that Millerna would probably hate his guts for a while once she found out.

Dinner was an entirely different matter. With the notable absence of Princess Millerna at the table, the subject of her refusal to marry had come up along with Dryden Fassa's betrothal to Allen's sister. The elderly Asturian king had many problems with his youngest daughter. He had cultivated her over the years to rule in his stead. Of course, he expected her to marry the right man to rule beside her. Millerna had waved that aside saying that she didn't NEED a man to help her rule. There was the not so subtle hint that the one man she did want by her side wouldn't be acceptable to the King of Asturia. 

The blood between Allen and King Aston had remained bad ever since the Great War. Aston had never forgiven Allen for abandoning his country. Allen had never forgiven the King's refusal to help Chid, Millerna's nephew, from Zaibach's attack on Freid. Both Millerna and Allen knew that Chid was really Allen's son. He was the result of Allen's affair with Millerna's eldest sister, Marlene, who was now deceased for nine years. Chid, believed himself to be the son of Freid. Millerna and Allen decided it was best that Chid's true father not be revealed. 

For the sake of Millerna, Allen and King Aston managed a workable relationship. It was at best a strained civility. When the King brought up the subject of an blood heir, Millerna pointed out that Eries, Millerna's older sister didn't exactly enter a convent. Once Eries married, her children would become Millerna's heirs. Eries could not herself rule, even though she was the elder. For reasons known only to the king, she had been brought up to become the Advisor to Millerna. Eries had not been trained to rule. The royal house's future was up in the air, and the King's nerves were frazzled. It was remarkable that the meeting went as smoothly as it did. It didn't mean that the Asturian king was in a GOOD mood. The bent of the conversation was definitely NOT to his liking. 

With the King's "subtle" touch, the subject shifted to Van's bachelorhood and when he planned to marry and "go about the duty of securing an heir". After all, it wasn't entirely off subject. They were taking about royal lines and heirs still, weren't they? It was in Asturia's best interest that its ally would have it's future throne secured. Allen tried to redirect the conversation, but it was royal gossip. King Aston was delighted to be on the other end of the conversation for once.

Van could have suffered through the speculations, except his stupid advisor, Raden, decided to open his big mouth. He assured King Aston that Van was indeed "looking for a wife at the moment and was planning to get married quite soon". Van wanted to give his austere and proper advisor a kick to his dignified ass. The gleam in the Asturian King's eye was enough to raise Van's hackles. He knew what would happen. Before the day was out every eligible female in the country with blue blood in her veins would be vying for his attention. 

The first few years after the war made it easy enough to put off his "kingly duty", especially since all of Gaea knew his love for the girl from the Mystic Moon. The need to rebuild his kingdom could not be ignored. Now that six years had gone by the excuse of long distance love was wearing thin. 

His love for Hitomi hadn't worn away. Van knew that he wasn't doing Fanelia a favor if he had no successor to secure his line. He had an obligation, and unfortunately, Hitomi was unavailable for that position. He tried to look for Hitomi in every girl he met, feeling for some echo of the soul that had answered his so long ago, but his searches always ended in failure. One girl didn't have the right laugh, another didn't have the smile, and no one had Hitomi's heart. It didn't really surprise him. He never expected to find someone just like Hitomi. He didn't want to either.

He felt guilty about not keeping in touch with Hitomi as much as he should have. The rebuilding of Fanelia occupied his time and his thoughts for quite a while. During the first year, it had been easy enough to contact her. He could reach out and literally feel his whole body on the Mystic Moon. Hitomi had been amused at how often he checked up on her. His presence in her mind was more than enough to keep her content. However, the more time that went by, the harder it became to see Hitomi at all. 

Half way through the second year since Hitomi left, something disturbing happened. He woke up in a sweat from a dream in which he heard Hitomi speaking a prophecy. Well, at least he THOUGHT it was a prophecy. He had never been sure. Van was uneasy for days after that, not getting any work done. He wrote down the words he vividly remembered, only to be annoyed with himself. He ended up stuffing the sheet of paper into an obscure and messy drawer. 

He decided to check on Hitomi's mind to make sure everything was all right. All he could feel from her was contentment and happiness. He couldn't see her for some reason, but it was enough to put his mind to rest. 

After that, all he could see was fleeting images, and a sense of well being. It never really worried him, though he was curious why it was so difficult for him to see Hitomi. He often wondered if his mind was just filling in the blanks half the time, and if maybe, just maybe, time was eroding away their bond of love. Even with the difficulties, Hitomi always answered, even if all she could communicate were feelings. She still cared for him, but he could feel that there was something else...a sadness underlying the happiness she projected. What it truly was he didn't know.

It had become routine, this half feeling, half seeing of each other. Comfortable. 

Thinking of Hitomi made Van long to see her. He stilled his mind, grasping for the crystal pendant that she gave him. He tried to visualize her, making the image of her as clear as he could. He was disturbed when he found that he couldn't picture her or feel her at all. There was no trace of the girl from the Mystic Moon.

Startled, he opened his eyes, realizing that he had continued to wander farther into the woods. There was a blur of motion out of the corner of his eye. He stopped and stared in fascination. 

* * * * *

A pillar of light hit the ground in the middle of a forest. A slight breeze rustled the leaves, whispering to themselves of the strange presence among them.

The young woman, kneeling on one knee, glanced up at the sky. It was night. The Earth and its moon peeked out from between the branches of the trees.

"Gaea" she murmured. She looked down at her clenched fist and bit her lower lip. Reluctantly, she opened her hand and stared at the heavy gold ring that was her mother's farewell gift. Two tiny gems winked up at her. She winced slightly, and quickly stuffed it into her pocket. She would dwell on her mother later...and her father. First she had to take care of herself. She took a quick look around, squinting in the darkness. She was careful not to thrash around too much in case some unfriendly local wildlife decided to pay her a visit for disturbing the peace.

Her travelling sack lay a couple meters from her and along side it, her staff. She blinked, not remembering bringing it with her to the hospital. It would have been a little too conspicuous bringing the long, curved walking stick with her. She remembered her mother telling her of the time she transported Van and herself away from the attack on Fanelia and her duffel bag, which was sitting in the room she was staying, got taken along for the ride as well. She picked up the staff and fondly ran her fingers over the intricate cravings that decorated it. Tiger, Crane, Mantis, Monkey, Snake, all the different animal spirits that existed in the arts of fighting. At the head of the staff was a relief carving of the Dragon, animal spirit of her discipline. Perhaps someone out there thought she might need it. She hefted the staff and grabbed her sack. Who was she to argue?

After a bit, she found a small clearing located beside a little babbling brook. She smiled at the obvious cliché, but it was after all the perfect way to describe it. It ran along the rocks, merrily laughing and making delightful conversation with the wind while small fish darted around in the moonlit water. She rolled her eyes at her metaphoric ramblings. She definitely needed to give her brain a rest. She was starting to personify every bloody thing around her.

She gathered some dry twigs and kindling in order to start a fire. Just a small one, she reminded herself. There's no need to announce herself to the world. 

She fished around in her bag, looking for the waterproof matches she was sure she stuffed in one of the pockets. She found them along with flint as well. She hesitated, wanting the warmth of the fire quickly but then with an inward groan, she stuck the matches back into the bag, figuring she should learn how to use the stupid flint while she could and keep the matches for emergencies.

After a few frustrating attempts, plus energetically performing her little dance of rage, she managed to strike a spark and get the kindling going. Before long a small, cheerful fire was going, and she laid out a small loaf of bread and a chunk of cheese that she had brought along with her. She rummaged through her sack looking for a change of clothes. Might as well try to dress as if she was from the place. Her mother warned her about standing out too much. Apparently Gaeans were quite observant about "unusual" clothing especially school uniforms.

She quickly changed into a loose top, a pair of slacks, and boots. Then she pulled out her black cloak to keep her warm. It smelled of her mother's flowery scent, reminding her to bring out the ring from her pant's pocket before stuffing everything back into her bag. 

She raised the ring up to the light of the fire in order to examine it better. A finely etched dragon wound its way around the ring. The two gems she had noticed were its eyes. They twinkled at her mischievously, hiding many secrets in their depths. The firelight washed away any trace of colour. She slipped the ring onto her right ring finger, and frowned when she felt it tighten as if it was claiming her. Damn, she was doing it again...overworking her brain. She needed to keep herself occupied so this whole experience wouldn't overwhelm her. Something in the back of her mind kept nagging her, something that needed to be done. What it was she couldn't grasp just yet, and it was driving her nuts. 

"Oh Mother." She sighed and closed her eyes, feeling salty tears creep between her lashes. She ground a fist into her eye. "Are you happy now?" She searched her mind, vainly searching for some trace of her only tie to Earth. There was nothing. She sat back on her heels and let a couple tears trickle down her face.

Seiki grimaced. Her thoughts were becoming chaotic and all this excess of emotion wouldn't help her in this situation. She needed to clear her head. Standing, she took up her staff and went through a simple kata, striking out in front of her and displacing the air in a little breeze.

Slowly but surely Seiki's movements became faster and more complex. The step of her foot, a quick turn of the staff, her kata was no more than a blur of motion.

The leaves rustled again, but this time it wasn't the breeze. The stones on her ring flared with light, as if in warning. She gripped her staff, whirling to meet her unwelcomed guest. A tall, dark-haired man stepped out into the bushes with a look on his face that was as surprised as her own.

* * * * *

Van watched in wonder as a slender figure danced through a complicated choreography of motion with a strange-looking staff. He stepped forward again, without really knowing why. The pendant burned with intense light. The leaves rustled with his movement. The figure stiffened and turned towards him. The dark cloak swirled around... 

"Who are you?" There was a curious look in her eye. Her face was still and calm. It took a moment for Van to realize this person was undeniably female, so intent he was in examining the lightning quick, movements she had been going through. She felt familiar, as if he met her before, but he was unsure with the firelight behind her, casting her features into shadow.

"Uh, sorry about barging in on you like that..." Van glanced back the way he came from. "To tell you the truth, I'm not even sure how I ended up here in the first place." He felt nervous. This girl made him feel uneasy. 

The girl's posture relaxed slightly, but her guard remained up. She tilted her head, as if examining him and nodded to herself. She cleared her throat.

"I was about to eat," her voice was softer, losing the edge he heard earlier. "You can join me if you wish." She gestured to the little fire and the meal she had laid out.

Van hesitated, feeling guilty that this woman was offering to share her small meal. He knew back at camp there was enough food to feed a healthy appetite for a week easily. He brushed his dark bangs aside and smiled back at the woman. "Sure, why not?" He glanced back where he came from. "It will give me a chance to get my bearings." She turned back towards the fire and crouched, and then glanced back at him, waiting.

He walked to the fire and stuck out his hand awkwardly. "Name's Van." The woman gave him the most peculiar look before taking his hand in a firm grasp. "Seiki. Himura Seiki." Her hand had a rough feel to it, callused, not a stranger to hard labour. 

"Seiki." Van tasted the name as he sprawled down beside the fire, "What a strange name. Does it mean something?"

Seiki shifted slightly, and broke the loaf of bread evenly. She passed him a piece and then pulled out her small cutting knife from her boot sheath to cut the cheese. "My grandmother once told me it meant 'true heart'."

"I see." Van studied his mysterious host, now that the firelight was more cooperative. She looked...young. She glanced up, and frowned at the utterly shocked look on his face. "What?"

"Nothing," he stuttered, embarrassed. She continued to stare at him with her eyebrows raised, disbelieving. "It's just that...well, you look a lot younger than what I thought earlier..." he trailed off and barely restrained himself from grinding the heel of his boot into the dirt.

"And just how old do you think I am?" There was amusement in her voice.

"Um, 13 years, maybe 14?" He blinked when the girl snorted, and then started laughing, loud silvery peals of laughter that rang in the still night air. He stared at her harder, sensing that he was missing something.

Seiki was light haired, blond he thought, and it was long, tied in a loose braid that hung half way down her back. Wayward tendrils of hair drifted across her face. Her features were slender and sharp. Her cloak rendered the rest of her shapeless. She seemed a little grim at first, her eyes a little red and puffy, but the smile and her laughter brightened her face. She was beautiful, he thought, surprising himself. He had never really thought of anyone as really beautiful except Hitomi.

Seiki chuckled a little bit more before she calmed down. She finished cutting the cheese and handed him a chunk.

"I'm eighteen."

For the second time that night, Van sat there blinking, speechless. His hand remained outstretched with the piece of cheese sitting in his palm for almost a full minute before he realized how strange he looked.

"So, how old are you?" Seiki started to rummage around in her bag, looking for something.

"How old do you think I am?" Van responded automatically as he shifted a little to get a better look at her sack, curiosity getting the better of him. Seiki pulled out her water canteen and set it down on the ground before swiftly tying up the bag. She looked over her shoulder and gave him hard look, her eyes narrowing a little. Her head tilted in thought. Van could feel himself start to sweat under Seiki's scrutiny. All of a sudden Seiki trashed her "I'm-carefully-examining-you-under-a-magnifying-glass" expression and grinned.

"I haven't the slightest clue," she said cheerfully. "I'm terrible at that kind of thing." Van stopped himself from almost falling over.

"Twenty," he muttered, shaking his head, his hair falling across his face. "I'm turning twenty-one soon." Seiki glanced at him and smiled wistfully. "What?"

"Your hair...it reminds me a little of my brother, the way if falls across your eyes." She laughed. "I'd have to say though, it's a heck of a lot more attractive on you than on my own brother, that's for sure."

Van blushed and was silently cursing himself for doing so. "I see." He turned to intently stare at the fire as if expecting it to do something entertaining.

After a few uncomfortable moments Van asked the fire, "So where are you travelling to?"

Seiki shifted and threw a couple more twigs into the fire. "I'm travelling to Fanelia." She looked up at the sky. "I think I took a wrong turn somewhere though."

"I see." Silence.

Seiki frowned a little and got up, grabbing her water canteen and walked over to the little brook. When she got to the edge, she almost stumbled in, but at the last minute grabbed at the branches above her. Saving herself from an untimely bath. She felt her face grow red, and furtively glanced over her shoulder to see if Van had seen her mistake, he hadn't. Van was still preoccupied with staring into the fire at the moment. She couldn't tell if it was the fire that made his ears seem as red as they were. She heaved a sigh of relief and filled the canteen up with water and took a small sip. Returning to the fire she offered the canteen to Van in order to wash down the dry meal of bread and cheese. Van accepted it gratefully, wetting his parched throat with the cool liquid. 

Seiki threw herself back against a tree, settling down before eating her food. The guy was just too serious, she decided. He needed to lighten up a little. She thought he was going to pass out when she commented on the fact that he was more than passable cute. Conversation was not lively. What was with this guy? Van gave the canteen back to her and she took a few sips. She stuffed more of the food into her mouth and nodded her head towards the sword hanging loosely at Van's hip.

"Do you know how to use that sword?" she asked around a mouthful of bread and cheese. "Looks like a fancy blade."

Actually, to Van it sounded more like "To you no ha to uss tha swort? Loks like a facy bwade." He snickered, and tried to smother it, so he wouldn't embarrass his host, but the sight of her puffed out cheeks combined with the funny words made his laughter burst out with gusto. Seiki swallowed her food, and raised an eyebrow. 

"So, the serious man has a sense of humor after all." She muttered dryly. Van wiped a tear away from his eye as he sputtered and choked out an insincere apology. Seiki snorted. "Nice to see you're having such a good laugh at my expense. So you know how to use that oversized knife or what?"

Van's hand drifted down to the sword lying by his side, his fingertips brushing against the hilt. His mouth drifted into a half-cocky smile.

"Well enough." 

The expression on Seiki's face went completely blank, what she always liked to call her "poker face". It worked wonders for her at the flea markets when she was bargaining. "May I see it?"

Van picked up his sword and eyed her warily. "Do you know how to use one?"

Seiki held out her hand wordlessly and Van passed his sword to her. Seiki drew the sword and lifted it up, the blade vertically up to her eye.

"Hmmmm, a two-handed sword." She tilted the blade till it hovered between them horizontally. Van felt tiny beads of sweat forming on his brow as he looked down the opposite length of his sword. 

"Ummm...yeah." A tiny part of Van's brain started panicking and running around in circles. His silly brain couldn't make up its mind whether or not it was more worried about Seiki's reaction to the Fanelian symbol that decorated the blade, or to the obvious fact that she was pointing his own sword right at him. Common sense would have him worry about getting hacked to bits, but right now the little he had to begin with had flown out the window. He was more worried about being chased by a power-hungry noblewoman.

He brushed the thought away as he watched Seiki handle the sword, twisting it this way and that. This girl...er...woman wouldn't be easily impressed. And he highly doubted that she was a courtier sent to track him down and wile her way into his affections. Besides Celena, there were no noblewomen he knew who trained with weapons. Most showed more interest to the one wielding the sword. If the sword was shown, the "normal" blue blood would "ooo" and "ahhhh" and then that would be it. He had met a lot of noblewomen too, courtesy of King Asturia. 

He inconspicuously swiped at a drop of sweat on the side of his face. He hoped that Seiki didn't see. Now that he had that ridiculous worry out of the way, he still had to deal with the fact that he was sitting defenseless with a stranger holding his sword. Rather than show his uneasiness, Van concentrated on eating the rest of his bread and cheese.

"Nice sword. A little heavy and not suited to my technique, but still very powerful weapon. The most I could do with it is maybe hack at a tree and chop some firewood though."

As Seiki sheathed the sword and held it out to him, Van had a hilarious vision of Seiki clutching the sword and wildly attacking a tree, chips of wood flying out all over the place. Caught between relief at the return of his sword, his own weird imaginings and the bread in his throat, his restrained laughed sounded like he was having a coughing fit instead.

Anxious, Seiki had come over and started pounding Van's back, asking if he had accidentally choked on some bread. Instead of helping, the beating itself only made Van laugh harder. 

Realizing that Van wasn't in dire need of anything as serious as CPR, Seiki stopped hitting him. She walked back to the fire muttering about a "warped sense of humor", facing away from him long enough for Van to get control of his laughing fit.

Van studied her under his lashes and asked nonchalantly, "By the way, where did you learn how to use a staff like you do? I've never seen those moves before and you handle it really well."

Seiki was studying the fire wondering what Van had found so fascinating about it earlier. She looked up with a hooded expression on her face.

"You should head back to where you came from. It's getting dark. If you have companions, they must be getting worried now."

Van hesitated and then stood brushing himself off. Seiki obviously didn't want to answer his question. "Thanks for dinner." Seiki nodded stiffly having returned to her intense study of orange light.

Van walked towards the opening where he came from and stopped, thinking. He turned back to Seiki.

"Are you still headed for Fanelia?" he asked tentatively. 

Nod.

"My companions and I are headed there too."

Nod.

"Um...Would you like a ride?"

Nod.

"Then come."

Seiki silently rose and dumped the remainder of her water over the fire. She kicked it over with dirt for good measure. Van blinked to adjust his eyes to the bright light of the Moons. He turned and headed back through the crushed vegetation. He didn't see the grim smile on Seiki's face. Seiki picked up her bag and staff and followed Van out of the clearing into the forest.

* * * * *

As Seiki expected, Van was not travelling alone. It was no surprise that his companion was more than frantic. The poor elderly man was defining the meaning of hysteria.

"Your Majesty! How could you go wandering off like that? What if you had gotten lost and we couldn't find you? You KNOW that Sir Allen and Lady Celena are just days behind us! We can't afford to lose any time and..."

"Raden..." Van stared at his advisor "Relax and take a breath."

Seiki almost laughed out loud when she saw that the elderly advisor did exactly that. When Raden was finally calm enough to be introduced to Seiki it was difficult to miss the pure look of exasperation he shot Van. Van gave him a quelling look, effectively stopping all questions...for the time being. Seiki had no doubt that their "conversation" was far from finished. 

The minute Seiki met Van in the clearing, she KNEW that she had to go with him. If he had not asked, she would have simply followed. Thankfully he had. Seiki had not been looking forward to trudging around the bush to discreetly follow the company he rode with.

Allen, hmmm? This must be the infamous Allen Schezar, the blond and gallant Knight that her mother told her about. What luck...this may prove quite useful after all. She wasn't sure why she was so pleased to find out that Allen Schezar would be meeting them in Fanelia, but she put it down to nostalgia. After all this time, she was finally meeting the "characters" in her mother's stories. There was some other reason, but she couldn't put her finger on it just yet. 

In the meantime Seiki figured she would "ask" Van about his "title". It seemed she was developing a perverse pleasure in watching Van squirm. She grinned.

This would be interesting indeed.

[ Chapter 3   
"Introspection: Allen"][1]

Back to   
[_The Prophecy_'s Main Page][2]
Back to   
[_The Prophecy_'s Chapters Page][3]
E-mail Me!   
[ trademmho@home.com][4]

_The Prophecy_, original artwork and links © Melinda Ho 1999-2001. All rights reserved.   
The Vision of Escaflowne title, names and characters © Hajime Yadate and Shouji Kawamori.   
This fanfiction also includes parts from the anime/manga Rurouni Kenshin, all characters and references to it the property of Sony and Nobuhiro Watsuki.   
_The Prophecy_ is a fanfiction, and is not for sale or profit and for personal use only. Do not distribute. 

   [1]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/escaflowne3f.html
   [2]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/escaflowne.html
   [3]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/chapters.html
   [4]: mailto:trademmho@home.com



	4. Chapter 3 - Introspection: Allen

The Prophecy: Chapter 3

**The Prophecy**

**_A Vision of Escaflowne Fanfiction_**

The standard disclaimer: Yeah, okay I stole these characters from the marvelous creators of The Vision of Escaflowne...and Rurouni Kenshin too. Yadda yadda yadda. Please don't sue me ^_^ The main story line is of my own delusional imaginings. Yadda yadda yadda. Please do not distribute. Thanks. 

**The Twinned shall fall from the Sky.   
A Broken Land shall rise again;   
Vengeance and Hunger as Guidance.   
The Wheel of Fortune turns.   
Feathers tipped in Blood;   
The Dragon's Sword forged in heated Battle.   
Thy Kingdom's Heart it shall possess.**

  


**CHAPTER 3 "Introspection: Allen" **

Allen Schezar leaned back against his seat and stretched out his legs. Riding in carriages was a cramping and stuffy experience. He would have preferred to ride his horse, especially in this beautiful weather. There wasn't a cloud anywhere in sight and the sun was shining brightly. 

Natal, Allen's pet owl followed the carriage at his own pace, and wouldn't have suffered being inside. As much as Allen would rather be outside with his owl, his sister Celena insisted that if she had to endure the experience of being cooped up in a fancy box, he would have to as well. The idea that she wasn't the only one suffering of boredom cheered her greatly. 

Maybe they should have waited until the Crusade was finished with its repairs. They would have been delayed by a few days, but at least Allen wouldn't be stuck in this moving hot pot. Teo had promised him that the crew would finish repairs as quickly as possible. They would head for Fanelia as soon as they were done. 

Van had invited King Aston to his upcoming 21st birthday, but the Asturian king had previous obligations. To compensate for his royal absence, King Aston was "generous" enough to grant Allen time away from his position in Asturia to represent his country at Van's birthday. 

Allen had not known that at the same time the elderly king was also discussing an idea with Van of setting up Allen as the Asturian ambassador. As the messenger and representative at Fanelian court for Asturia, Allen would be permanently residing in Fanelia. It made sense considering how close Allen was to King Fanel, and it would be excellent cultivation of the relations between the two countries. 

It would also mean that Asturia...and Millerna would see little of the golden knight. 

Allen wasn't supposed to know about this idea at all. It was King Aston's right to place his own knight where ever he saw fit. The night before Van left, Van spoke to him about the possibility of staying in Fanelia as the Asturian ambassador. Van didn't want his friend staying against his wishes and felt that Allen deserved the chance to decide himself. 

Allen pounced on the opportunity to get out of the palace, among other things. He had one condition. His new position would not be declared until Van's birthday. 

Van simply raised one eyebrow at the request, but instead of asking questions he went off to arrange everything with King Aston. 

King Aston was more than eager to agree with Allen's plan to announce his new position when he was in Fanelia. It would prevent much public moaning and wailing from the local noblewomen, especially from one in particular. 

For once both King Aston and Allen were in total agreement. 

Everyone in the palace had been tense and cranky ever since Princess Millerna declared herself a nun. Well, not officially of course, but telling everyone that she never intended to marry was close enough. Dryden had run off on one of his trips after hurriedly asking Allen for his permission to marry Celena. Allen wasn't even going to seriously consider Dryden's request since he knew that Dryden cared deeply for the Princess. Allen figured the marriage offer was just a reaction to Millerna's announcement. He wasn't sure if there would much room for Celena in Dryden's heart as well. 

Celena had interrupted them and pulled Allen aside, asking him to agree to the betrothal. Nothing is written in stone, she told him. If Dryden decided to come back to her then all would be well, but in the end it was up to him. Only then did Allen realize how much his sister had come to care for the wayward merchant. 

Right now Allen really had a bone to pick with that unshaven moneymaking freak. He couldn't believe that the bastard disappeared one day after asking for Celena's hand. Well if the asshole wanted Celena's hand, he would have to come and get her in Fanelia himself. 

He had to admit that he was also a little upset about Dryden's fairweather feelings for Millerna. The Princess...Allen winced a little. Princess Millerna had grown up into an almost exact replica of her eldest sister, Marlena. Marlena had passed away almost nine years ago, but it still hurt, losing her. Seeing the youngest princess around was difficult for Allen, being constantly reminded of Marlena. What bothered him the most was the fact that it wasn't ALL because he was being reminded of Marlena. He found himself missing little things about Millerna, the twinkle in her eye, the way she tilted her head and smiled when she saw him coming her way. Those little things sent the alarm off in his head telling him that it was best to stay away from the palace for a bit. 

Okay, so there was more to this than he admitted, but it still seemed like since Dryden couldn't have the Princess he would settle for second best. Not like Celena was second best...oh, nevermind. It all made Allen want to grind his teeth in frustration. Celena merely shrugged, saying that Dryden had some things on his mind and needed some time alone to figure them out. 

In hopes of taking her mind off her groom-to-be, Allen asked Celena if she would like to go to Fanelia and she had agreed eagerly. He told her about his new position in the Fanelian court and that it would mean they would rarely be in Asturia. Celena didn't mind at all. She was actually pleased. It seemed that though Celena was perfectly fine with Dryden leaving so quickly after the betrothal she was not adverse to making him work a little in getting her back for the wedding, if there was indeed a wedding at all. 

However, Meiden Fassa's insistence that his soon-to-be daughter-in-law travel to Fanelia in a luxurious carriage dampened Celena's enthusiasm dramatically. It didn't stop her from going, but she was fond of riding horses and the idea of being cooped up in a carriage was not appealing at all. 

Meiden was insistent on providing the best of everything for Celena's stay in Fanelia. If Meiden couldn't get his son to marry a "proper" woman he would just have to make sure that the woman Drydan chose would be made into one. Transportation and clothing was just the beginning as he was planning to send servants along as well. Neither Allen nor Celena were fond of servants accompanying them on their travels. Allen was glad that Meiden didn't know about their plans to remain in Fanelia otherwise Celena would have been swamped with a whole entourage for her "extended" stay in Fanelia. 

The trip to Fanelia would take a good three days travelling by carriage. Gaddes and Reeden volunteered to accompany them. The palace was not to their taste and they'd been twiddling their thumbs lately because of the lack of things to keep them occupied. Allen and Celena decided to leave a day after Van had departed which wouldn't give the King much time to prepare, but then Van did urge them to come as soon as possible. 

Allen's crew would leave Asturia the night before the celebration with the gear and luggage more appropriate to a longer stay in Fanelia. They would need the extra couple of days to smuggle the luggage into the Crusade slowly so not to arouse suspicion. They would hide it among cargo that King Aston was sending to Van for his birthday. The last thing they needed was Millerna finding out about Allen and trying to highjack the airship. 

Allen shifted uncomfortably in his seat, catching the wry glance and quirky smile his sister shot at him. "A little uncomfortable, dearest Brother?" He looked out the window, and Celena's smile turned into a grin. "Good." Sometimes, he wondered as he gazed out the window, if Celena hadn't retained some of Dilandu's malicious nature. 

The scenery shot by and a sigh heaved itself out of his body before Allen even realized it. 

"Brother, what's wrong? Pining away for the horses are we?" Celena teased with a laugh. She reached out and gently tapped his knee to show him that she really was worried. 

Uncharacteristically for Allen's "refined" nature, Allen stuck his tongue out at her. Then, before Celena could react, he grabbed her in a headlock and mussed up her hair. Celena screamed, laughed and punched Allen in the stomach until he finally relented, letting her go. 

Allen had always considered himself the perfect gentleman, but something in their brother/sister relationship really brought out the brat in him. Even in the days before Celena was taken they would play in rowdy way. They would play pirates and knights chasing each other all over the place. Allen was the pirate and Celena would be the knight. Mother would be so upset with them messing up their fine clothes. She was so gentle in nature though it was difficult for her to hold any anger. In the end, Mother always forgave them and in turn they would be perfect angels whenever they had company or went out. 

When Mother passed away after Celena was kidnapped, Allen ran wild. Without parents Allen had a death wish. He wanted to fight everyone and anything. Somewhere in the back of his mind he was still the pirate like the game he played with his sister. It was a lucky stroke of fate that he met Balgus, one of the great Swordmasters in Gaea. Without Balgus' training and words of wisdom, Allen would have probably ended up in some ditch in the middle of nowhere. 

Instead, Allen returned to Asturia, picking up the pieces of his father's estate. He worked hard, refining his technique and his nature. It wasn't long before the King of Asturia noticed him. He was inducted into the Knights Caeli, the elite corps of Asturia knights that directly served the king. The rest was history. Marlene, Chid, Millerna,...Hitomi. 

Celena was correct in assuming that there was something occupying her brother other than the discomfort of being in the carriage. 

"It was that light we saw last night, wasn't it Allen?" Celena asked quietly. She leaned over to stare out the same window Allen was looking out of. "It was more than just a falling star." 

Allen was silent. Yesterday evening, when Allen and Celena were having their nightly tonics, they saw an intense beam of light in the distance decorating the sky. It was in the direction where Van would have been traveling home. It came from the Mystic Moon. 

Celena had never seen the phenomenon before. If she had it would have been when she was Dilandu. She didn't remember many details when she had been him. Allen muttered something about it being a "falling star" and nothing more was said about it. Obviously Celena hadn't bought the comment that what they saw was a falling star. 

Allen had seen the light before. It had been a night much like that one, clear with the stars bright in the sky and the Moons glowing brightly. 

"Allen." 

He shifted uncomfortably. It looks like Celena wasn't going to let this one go. He glanced out at the sun in the sky. Fanelia was still far away. They had more than enough time for Allen to explain everything to Celena...from the very beginning. Allen took a deep breath, and started telling Celena a story, starting with the night he saw a bright light and a girl from the Mystic Moon. 

* * * * *

When Allen finished his story, Celena took a shaky breath and sat back. It was night outside and the Moons seemed larger than normal. The carriage had drawn to the stop. 

Gaddes poked his head in calling out cheerfully, "We're stopping here for the night. We can set up good camp and I figure we can water the horses at the...What the hell is with the long faces?!" 

* * * * *

Celena threw a small twig into the fire, watching the flames flare around the new fuel. She was glad that they "missed" the inn they were supposed to stay at and had to camp out here. It was a beautiful night. Celena smiled when she remembered asking Gaddes why they were camping out. 

"Eh? Well, we 'accidently' missed the turnoff for the inn we were staying at. Whoops, heh heh, I guess it was too dark to see. Didn't realize we passed it until we were a good few hours away." Gaddes then winked at Celena and walked away to unload the sleeping gear he had stowed for such "emergencies". 

Celena grinned. Gaddes knew full well that both Allen and Celena would prefer to stay out on a night like this. Besides, most likely the inn that Meiden recommended was filled with people to fawn over them. Celena rolled her eyes in disgust. Why did that man have to make a parade of everything? 

Allen wandered over after checking to see if the horses were content where they were stabled. He sat down beside Celena and stretched out his legs. They sat there quietly. 

The rumbling of Allen's stomach broke the silence. 

Celena laughed, hearing her own stomach grumble in response. Allen arched an eyebrow. Gaddes, who had been heading back with the gear heard both of them. 

Gaddes sighed and rubbed his chin. "Now where the heck did Reeden go? I sent him out to try and catch some game for dinner. If he comes back empty handed I'll have to go unpack the dried stuff." 

At that moment, Reeden crashed through the bush with a huge grin of triumph on his face. He held up two good-sized birds of game and a line full of fish. It would be good eating tonight. 

Gaddes whooped in relief. "Reeden you saved my life. If you were any longer I think I would of ended up on the menu." 

Celena stuck her tongue out. "If we ate you, it would take a week just to get the aftertaste out of our mouths. No thanks." 

Gaddes sniffed and wiped a mock tear from his face. "That's mean, lady. I took a bath last week, I did." 

Allen groaned and walked over to Reeden to help him clean the game. 

There wasn't much talking after that. The food kept everyone occupied. After everyone had eaten their fill Gaddes went to clean out the cooking pot while Reeden left to bury the remains of their meal. 

Allen and Celena sat contently by the fire. 

"Allen, do you think it was Hitomi we saw last night?" 

"I don't know. For Van's sake I hope so." 

"Why do you sound so uncertain?" 

Allen frowned. "I don't know. I guess I'm afraid. Part of me hopes it's Hitomi, wants it to be her for Van's sake, for my sake. The other part of me is afraid of what that light means." 

Allen stopped as he watched Celena throw another branch into the fire. He continued his voice so soft Celena had to strain to hear him. 

"I'm scared because the last time that light came, Gaea went to war." 

[ Chapter 4   
"Introspection: Merle"][1]

Back to   
[_The Prophecy_'s Main Page][2]
Back to   
[_The Prophecy_'s Chapters Page][3]
E-mail Me!   
[ trademmho@home.com][4]

_The Prophecy_, original artwork and links © Melinda Ho 1999-2001. All rights reserved.   
The Vision of Escaflowne title, names and characters © Hajime Yadate and Shouji Kawamori.   
This fanfiction also includes parts from the anime/manga Rurouni Kenshin, all characters and references to it the property of Sony and Nobuhiro Watsuki.   
_The Prophecy_ is a fanfiction, and is not for sale or profit and for personal use only. Do not distribute. 

   [1]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/escaflowne4f.html
   [2]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/escaflowne.html
   [3]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/chapters.html
   [4]: mailto:trademmho@home.com



	5. Chapter 4 - Introspection: Merle

The Prophecy: Chapter 4

**The Prophecy**

**_A Vision of Escaflowne Fanfiction_**

The standard disclaimer: Yeah, okay I stole these characters from the marvelous creators of The Vision of Escaflowne...and Rurouni Kenshin too. Yadda yadda yadda. Please don't sue me ^_^ The main story line is of my own delusional imaginings. Yadda yadda yadda. Please do not distribute. Thanks. 

**The Twinned shall fall from the Sky.   
A Broken Land shall rise again;   
Vengeance and Hunger as Guidance.   
The Wheel of Fortune turns.   
Feathers tipped in Blood;   
The Dragon's Sword forged in heated Battle.   
Thy Kingdom's Heart it shall possess.**

  


**CHAPTER 4 "Introspection: Merle" **

Merle woke up to the sounds of birds singing and the sight of sunlight from her window. The maid must have come in while I was sleeping, Merle thought tiredly to herself. It was truly early in the morning, the sun barely peeping over the horizon. 

She stretched, purring in the warmth of the light. The sounds of feathered animals tickled her feline senses making her whiskers twitch. Her stomach grumbled in response to the morning songs. 

She rose from her bed and while she delicately washed her face she contemplated her wardrobe. She had just returned from Egzardia late last night and was unable to see Van before turning in. Merle would go see Van today. With his birthday tomorrow the whole country would be attending the festivals in the market squares in his honour. After his special birthday dinner, Van himself will probably go and join the festivities down below. It would be next to impossible to have a moment alone with Van. 

Selecting a honey-coloured dress that had small pink flowers embroidered on the bodice, Merle wondered if Van would let Raden choose his clothes tomorrow without complaint. She slipped on the dress and then looked in the mirror.

Six years since the Great War and the cute little cat-girl named Merle had grown up. She was now known as Lady Merle, close friend and confidante of King Van Fanel. Tall and graceful, her fur a luxurious gold, her hair a delicate pink, Merle had become a feline beauty.

Though she had mellowed quite a bit from her mischievous, hyperactive thieving days, Merle never lost her passion for life. Every once in a while when court became too much to bear she would go on solitary hunts, reveling in her dexterity and heightened senses.

On her occasional visits, Celena would join her on those hunts, practicing with her bow. When Merle had first learned that Celena was once the psychotic Dilandu, the dreaded commander of the Zaibach elite Dragonslayers forces, she had been nervous of being around Allen's sister. As time went by, Merle had come to realize that Celena was nothing like Dilandu and was instead a very caring and gentle woman. She had a great sense of humour too. 

Merle grinned. She wondered if Allen had figured out where all those women's undergarments that had appeared in his bedchamber came from. She had to agree with Celena. With his long blonde hair and pretty looks, Allen would look great in a dress.

Her smile faded. More often than not, the reason Merle felt the need to leave was the King himself. They had been together so long, Merle could not only read Van like an open book, she could read between the lines as well.

Merle had long ago resigned herself to the fact that Van would love her only as a sister. It didn't diminish the ferocity of her love for Van at all. She would do anything for his happiness.

She was in fact determined to find her king a woman he could love freely. Someone he could love other than Hitomi. It would help if Merle could like her as well. She would never tolerate a woman who didn't understand Merle's relationship with Van.

Merle sighed heavily and touched the silvery wrapped package sitting on her dresser.

Merle had gone to Egzardia, the city famous for its fashion (where Raden got Van's redesigned clothes) and art in search of the perfect birthday gift for Van. 

By the end of her third day Merle was ready to call it quits and go home in defeat. Egzardia was filled with wonderful things. Unfortunately Van didn't have much use for flashy things, preferring simpler things in life. With ears drooping she had shuffled down a small street, lacking the vivacity she usually exhibited. 

At the end of the street was a tiny store with glittering trinkets and ornaments in the window. Curious (as all cats are) Merle walked in. A creaky old man who resembled a shriveled grape more than anything else greeted her warmly.

"Ah... hallo hallo, welcome young lady to my humble little shop!"

Instead of screaming at the appearance of the unusual looking dwarf, Merle smiled. Scary though he seemed, Merle liked his "scent". It meant that he was a good person.

Before she could return his enthusiastic greeting, a sparkle caught her eye. By the merchant's counter stood a beautiful crystalline sculpture. Merle walked over to it, gaping when she saw what it was.

A slender woman stood on the edge of a cliff with her long hair flowing and crystal wings flowed from her back, stretching out as if poised in flight. The light in the shop played off the details of her wings, sparkling so it dazzled the eyes. The tips of the wings were blood red, making the piece all the more startling.

The instant Merle saw those wings she knew she had to buy the delicate figurine for Van.

The old man came up beside her nodding eagerly. "Ah, yes, isn't that a lovely piece? It is my favorite from this artist." He gently lifted the angel to show Merle the artist's scrawl on the base.

"I believe he said that he was inspired by a dream he had of it."

Merle touched a claw-tip to a tiny feather. "Isn't it rather unusual for someone to make a likeness of a Draconian? Don't people believe that they were cursed?"

The old man snorted and placed the sculpture back on the counter. "Superstitious nonsense. There may be some out there who believe that, but here in Ezgardia it's how a vision manifests itself through the artist that matters." The old man enthusiastically thrust his fist in the air to punctuate his point. "That is TRUE art!"

"Why we even have artists who try and depict life on the Mystic Moon. THAT place is cursed if anything else!" He lowered his voice conspiratually. "Besides, I hear the King of Fanelia is a Draconian himself! All who met him say he is brusque, but is noble of heart. It was that cursed Moon that took his beloved away!"

The merchant sighed bringing his hands up to his face imitating a young lovesick girl. "It's sooo romantic."

Merle laughed. "To think an old guy like you reading shameless romance books." 

The merchant's face wrinkled up as he chuckled and shrugged his shoulders in good humour. "A person as aged as me needs a way to pass the time away during slow hours, my Lady Merle."

Startled to be addressed by her title, Merle eyed the old man suspiciously.

He merely smiled and gestured to her fine clothes. "There are not many of your people who wear fine clothing, exhibiting noble manners and bearing as you do, Milady."

Embarrassed, Merle fingered a pointed ear. "I had a patient teacher."

"Of course." The old man nodded towards the sculpture. "Should I wrap that up for you?"

Merle had agreed without hesitation. The decision to buy the sculpture was made long before he had asked. 

Merle sighed, shaking herself out of her reverie and stared at the silver package again. Her stomach grumbled angrily, reminding her that it was definitely time to eat something.

As she padded out the door and down the hall, Merle wondered if Van would like the gift. Taking into consideration Van's preference for practicality, maybe the sculpture just appealed to her so much because it reminded her of Van's heritage. She had always loved Van's wings.

Merle turned the corner only to feel something bowl into her legs and slam her against the wall. Someone shouted from far away. She felt a burning sting on her forearm and she sucked in a sharp breath.

Casting blurry eyes where the wagon that ran over her went off, Merle started seeing red when she saw the tail of the little orphan cat-boy who was the Advisor's ward. Her mouth opened in shock when she saw the glitter of steel in his claws.

"Sosa!!" she snarled. "Get back here!"

A touch on her shoulder called her attention to a silver-haired young girl standing beside her. "Are you alright? You're bleeding. Should I call someone to help you?" the young girl asked, concern in her deep, green eyes.

Merle shook her head, trying to shake a strange feeling of familiarity. "Don't worry about me. Grab Sosa if you can. He's a fast little bastard, but he's running around with a knife that isn't his.

The look of concern faded from the girl's eyes, replaced by a harder expression that made Merle shiver. 

"I know. That's my knife he ran off with. Where did he go?"

Merle hesitated, wanting to know why a girl as young as her had a knife in the first place. Merle shrugged and pointed in the direction where Sosa the cat-boy ran off. There would be time for questions later.

The girl glanced in the direction Merle indicated. "Thanks." She took off after him.

Merle looked around the hallway. There was no one else around, even with all the commotion. Ignoring her cranky stomach, she followed the green-eyed girl and the trouble making cat-boy.

* * * * *

By the time Merle found both the girl & cat-boy, the girl had cornered Sosa. He was holding the knife out threateningly. Mentally, Merle tagged the white-haired girl as "Green Eyes," at least until she found out her name. Merle sighed in frustration. In his little baggy pants held up with straps, and tufts of blonde fur sticking up on the top of his head, Sosa would actually look like an adorable kitten. That if one didn't take into account that the adorable kitten was waving around a dangerous weapon at another person.

"Give the knife back to me. You had no right to take it," Green Eyes said softly. To Merle, Green Eyes seemed too calm.

Sosa sniffed in disgust and tossed his head arrogantly. "Why should I? I don't see why a girl should have a knife anyway." His fist tightened on the hilt of the blade. "I'm a boy! I should be training to be a soldier right now!" Sosa cried out in frustration. "A stupid girl like you shouldn't have a knife!"

Merle felt her lip curl back in a snarl. She had never liked the cute-looking Sosa, finding the cat-boy stuck-up and overly aggressive. He had been found as an orphaned kitten after the end of the Great War. Now at the age of 6 and the ward of the King's Advisor, Sosa considered everything his business.

Merle had complained more than once to Raden about the behavior of Sosa, particularly after his raiding episodes whenever there was a new visitor staying in the castle. Raden always waved it off as normal behavior for a cat-boy his age. After all, from all the stories Raden had heard about Merle's antics when she was younger, the behavior would seem expected.

Merle never liked Raden much either.

Apparently Green Eyes had more than enough of Sosa's posturing. She looked genuinely peeved at the little cat-boy. Before Merle could bat an eyelash she heard Sosa scream and the girl was standing over Sosa, knife in hand.

Green Eyes examined the blade of the knife critically. Her lips thinned. Abruptly she spat on the floor in contempt, missing Sosa by a scant hair. Sosa's hackles were fully raised due to his bruised ego...and derriere. 

Merle winced thinking the girl would need a little refinement. The gods help her if the bluebloods caught her doing THAT casually.

"Grow up before you start to think about becoming a soldier," the girl growled. "If you can't even respect a blade like this," she brandished the knife and Merle could see the large nick in the steel, "what makes you think you deserve to wield one like it? What on earth makes you think you can handle a sword?!"

Merle frowned at the girl's strange phrasing and stepped forward. "Sosa, give back everything else."

Platinum hair flew as green eyes turned to stare at Merle. "There's MORE?!"

Merle rolled her eyes. "There's always more."

Sosa crossed his arms and turned his head away. "I didn't take nothing. Can't make me even if I did." He said stubbornly.

Green Eyes' hand snaked out and grabbed Sosa by the ankle. She pulled him up and dangled him in the air. Merle had to admire the girl's strength as trinkets, odd articles and items fell into a noisy pile on the floor.

"You *bleeping* little klepto!" Green Eyes muttered in disbelief as she used her toe to nudge the growing pile at her feet.

"*Bleeping*?" Merle thought to herself. What a strange expression.

Letting the cat-boy fall in a disgruntled furry heap, the girl looked at Merle and asked wearily, "Does he do this often?"

Before Merle could respond, Sosa scrabbled back and then launched himself at the girl, pushing her back against the wall. Merle noticed that the girl didn't seem surprised at all. Green Eyes simply watched the cat-boy make his escape with an almost bored look on her face.

The silver-haired girl walked to the window that overlooked the fountain by the entrance of the private gardens. Merle concluded rather quickly that Sosa would try to make his escape into the gardens, Van's PRIVATE gardens. Somehow Merle wasn't surprised at all.

Several noblewomen were milling around the fountain entertaining hopes of running into the young king. Often he would go for walks into his gardens and the young women would hope to catch him when he returned to the castle. However, even the most ambitious noblewoman would be reluctant to follow Van into the garden. The last one who tried was banished from social events on the public grounds of the castle. 

Only those with the permission of the King, Merle being one of them, were allowed free access to the private gardens. This was because the gardens were home to the monuments and tombs of Van's family.

Merle grimaced as she clenched her fists in anger. Just wait until she got her hands on that little brat! She glanced down at her bloody arm. There was no way Raden would be able to talk his way around his ward this time!

She spotted a familiar ample figured woman who was returning with some hand maidens from the market, their arms laden with packages. Merle grin turned feral and she shouted out, "Yana! Yana dear! Could you do me a favour?"

Yana was a wonderfully kind, warm and when need came about, intimidating woman. She was the head of the castle kitchens. She had been there for as long as Merle and Van could remember going back to even the rule of Van's father, Goau. The night Fanelia was attacked in the beginning of the Great War, it was Yana who made sure that Merle didn't run heedlessly into the fighting in search of Van.

After shooing off the help, Yana looked up spotting Merle in the window. "Yes, Merle dear. What can I do for you?" she sang, waving back.

"If you see Sosa running around, grab him for me will you? I'm afraid we have to go see the Advisor for a little talk."

Yana snorted. "In trouble again? No problem my dear. As soon as I see him, he's as good as caught." As soon as she finished saying that, Sosa came streaking by Yana, heading straight for the garden's entrance like Merle expected.

Yana's chubby arm shot out with alarming speed and snagged the back of Sosa's straps as he whizzed by.

Merle smothered a laugh with her hand as she saw the straps snap off as if they were barely attached by a thread. In the front AND back.

With Yana holding a couple strips of fabric that normally holds pants up, there was nothing to keep Sosa from showing that he didn't use underwear.

Merle turned to see Green Eyes leaning against a window sill howling with laughter. Catching Merle's glance, she help up the knife with a toothy grin and said, "Notched or not, my knife still has a keen edge."

Merle wondered when Green Eyes had the chance to cut the straps so precisely.

Outside, Yana picked Sosa up by his fallen pants and carried him under one big arm, lecturing him all the way back to the castle where Merle waited for them.

* * * * *

Merle had the immense satisfaction of seeing the Advisor furiously admonished Sosa for his thoughtless actions. Merle supposed that even Raden couldn't ignore the fact that Sosa could have really injured someone in his recklessness. She figured though that Raden was also piqued because Sosa accidentally mooned half of the noblewomen staying in the castle.

Merle was surprised to see Raden turn to Green Eyes, who accompanied Merle, in embarrassed apology.

"Lady, I regret the atrocious behavior of my ward." Raden glared at Sosa who cowered in a corner. "Rest assured, it will NOT happen again!" With that Raden grabbed Sosa by the ear, dragging him away. Sosa was forced to listen to his third lecture of the day.

Green Eyes turned to Merle with an amused smile. "Ah, I guess I never introduced myslef did I, running around like a crazy woman."

Merle chuckled and shook her head. "There wasn't exactly time for introductions. My name is Merle."

Something like recognition flickered in the girl's eyes. It was gone so quickly Merle wasn't sure if she even saw it.

"My name is Seiki, Himura Seiki."

Merle raised an eyebrow. "Seiki? What an unusual name. Reminds me of some..." Merle's eyes narrowed as she broke off suddenly.

Seiki frowned. "Are you alright?" She glanced at the cut on Merle's arm which was still bleeding. "Ack! I forgot about your cut! Come! We'll go back to my room. I think I have something to put on it. I keep my knife clean, but there's no telling what that brat did to it before he got to you." 

Seiki gently took hold of Merle's arm and led her back to Seiki's room.

Merle followed mutely, letting Seiki think she was dazed from the wound. Her mind was far from dazed, working furiously. The hair colour was wrong, but the eyes! The unusual name and if Merle concentrated, there was a hint of a friend lost 6 years ago. Could it be?

Something prevented her from blurting out the question, but her mind screamed it out.

Why do you remind me so much of a girl I knew from so long ago?

Who are you, Himura Seiki?

* * * * *

Merle sat on the bed in the guestroom Seiki had been installed in. She looked around in dismay at the mess Sosa left behind. The glint of a strange, familiar object caused a memory of Merle digging through a bag to flash through her mind. Merle drew a sharp breath.

Seiki looked up from tending Merle's wound. "I'm sorry, did that hurt?"

Merle gave Seiki a shaky smile. "A little," she lied though her reaction had nothing to do with her cut.

Merle gestured around her. "If you don't mind an extra hand I can help you clean up." She grimaced as Seiki finished tying up the bandage. "It looks like Sosa really messed up everything."

At that moment, Van walked by the open door. He paused when he saw Merle sitting on the bed. Sticking his head into the room, he said in an amused voice, "I heard that there's been a fallout between Raden and Sosa."

Van glanced curiously at Seiki who was cleaning up the bandages and putting her medicine away in a white box with a red cross on it.

"Here for less than 2 days and already causing trouble?"

Seiki straightened and glared at Van. "Nothing of the sort. It's not exactly my fault you have thieves hanging around the palace, your HIGHNESS." Merle noticed the slight stress Seiki put on the title and wondered at it.

Her ears perked up when Merle noticed that Van actually blushed. Looking at Van, then to Seiki and back to Van again she asked, "Okay, I smell something here. You've met?"

Seiki looked at Merle with an expression that was a cross between exasperation and laughter. "His HIGHNESS, failed to mention when he offered me a ride to Fanelia that he happened to be the KING of Fanelia."

Seiki impaled Van with her green gaze. "I found out when the Advisor insisted that I didn't call Van by his name but by the title 'Your Highness'."

Merle's eyebrows rose. "I see...and that bothered you?"

Seiki shrugged and grinned. "Not a bit. I knew the second I saw his sword who he was. I just like bugging him about it."

Van coughed uncomfortably and Merle with ever a soft spot for him thought of a way to dig him out of the situation. 

"Van, I'm glad you came by this way. I was going to look for you. Will you come with me? I want to give you your birthday gift."

Van rubbed the back of his neck. "Um, yeah sure, Merle. Though why now? I have to head off for a fitting. Raden's orders. My birthday isn't until tomorrow anyway."

"Ahhh," Merle grinned, "your birthday suit!"

Seiki made a sort of choked gasping sound. When Merle cast her a worried glanced, Seiki quickly waved it off, her face a shade darker red than before.

Merle sighed. "I'll never get a chance to give my gift to you tomorrow, silly. Everyone will want a piece of you." She glanced back at Seiki who was busily picking up things off the floor. "I'll be back to help you out, okay Seiki?"

Seiki dumped a pile of stuff beside Merle and smiled. "Go, go, give the King his gift. I won't be going anywhere any time soon." She waved her hand, shooing Van and Merle out of the room.

As Van and Merle walked down the hallway, heading towards Merle's rooms, Van sighed in relief. "That woman scares me," he muttered.

Merle gaped in surprise. "A woman?"

Puzzled, Van looked at her. "Well, sure. Didn't she tell you yet? She's eighteen, though when I first met her I could of swore she was only 14."

"Ahhhh," Merle felt the light come on. "Not as young as I thought then. That would explain about the knife."

"Knife?"

Merle's mouth twitched. Recounting the events in the last hour or so, Merle had to fight to not laugh through the whole tale.

Van looked thoughtful. "I've seen her move really fast. It wouldn't surprise me that she would know how to use her knife well."

Arriving outside her room, Merle opened the door and walked in. "Well, she's just a tangle of mysteries. I'm just going to have to spend some time with her and figure her out." Merle wondered if Van suspected what she did about Seiki. She was reluctant to talk to him about it until she found out more.

Picking up the package off her dresser, Merle held it out to Van. "So here it is. Open it."

"Now?"

"Yes now. Don't roll your eyes at me. The least you can do for a friend like me is to open your gift and pretend to like it even if you don't!"

"Hai, hai."

Sitting down on the couch in the corner of the room, Van sat the gift on his lap and started to unwrap it. Merle sat beside him, anxiously waiting for Van's reaction.

Van opened the box. He froze, hand hovering over the open top. Merle leaned over to get a good look at his face, unsure whether or not his reaction was positive.

Van finally moved, lifting the crystal sculpture out of the box and up to the light. The wings glittered in dozens of miniature rainbows.

"Where did you find it?" Van asked in an almost strangled whisper.

"In a little shop in Ezgardia." Merle bit her lip worriedly. "Do you like it?"

Van nodded dazedly. He caught the look of doubt on Merle's face. "No Merle. I really do like it. No kidding."

Merle grinned. So her first instinct was right. Leaning back, Merle was prepared to gloat when her stomach roared its discontent. Van laughed and poked Merle in the stomach. "Still haven't eaten breakfast yet huh?" 

Merle groaned. "Oh geez, I need FOOD! Join me?"

Van shook his head regretfully as he gently placed the statue back into the box. "Sorry Merle. Have to pass." He grimaced. "I have to go pretend to be a mannequin for an hour or two, remember?"

Merle giggled. "Right, your birthday suit? I forgot."

"Shut up. Not my idea okay?" he growled ruffling Merle's hair despite her protests. "Go grab some breakfast. I'll talk to you later. Don't forget that Allen and Celena should be arriving this afternoon."

Merle pulled away from Van and sniffed. "Fine, if you won't join me for breakfast, I'll head back to Seiki's and see if she's up for some food."

Van grinned as he stood up, package tucked under his arm and walked to the door. "Go do that. Maybe you can pry a couple more secrets out of her." He took a couple steps before stopping. He turned back. "By the way, I really do like it. Thanks."

The door closed behind him. Merle sat back in the couch with a contented smile before her discontented stomach reminded her to search out some sustenance. 

[ Chapter 5   
"Crossroads"][1]

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	6. Chapter 5 - Crossroads

The Prophecy: Chapter 5

**The Prophecy**

**_A Vision of Escaflowne Fanfiction_**

The standard disclaimer: Yeah, okay I stole these characters from the marvelous creators of The Vision of Escaflowne...and Rurouni Kenshin too. Yadda yadda yadda. Please don't sue me ^_^ The main story line is of my own delusional imaginings. Yadda yadda yadda. Please do not distribute. Thanks. 

**The Twinned shall fall from the Sky.   
A Broken Land shall rise again;   
Vengeance and Hunger as Guidance.   
The Wheel of Fortune turns.   
Feathers tipped in Blood;   
The Dragon's Sword forged in heated Battle.   
Thy Kingdom's Heart it shall possess.**

  


**CHAPTER 5: "Crossroads" **

Van stood out on the balcony of the conference room looking out at the beautiful forests of Fanelia. Below him in the courtyard there was a bustle of activity in preparation for the celebration of his twenty-first birthday. Raden had insisted that everything should be looked after early so no details would be missed. 

Van wore a black, long sleeved, high neck shirt that had the Fanelian emblem on the left side of the breast, and black pants. His sword, testament to his kingship, was slung over his left hip. 

Van had discovered that with kingship, his customary red shirt and tan pants were "not acceptable". He had experienced such a rapid growth spurt in his first years of ruling that the tailors simply gave up trying to size and resize his old clothing. What didn't help was the fact that is seemed that he was STILL growing. Better to just start with a whole new wardrobe. 

Van grimaced. He spent two hours with the damn tailor this morning, being poked and prodded like a pincushion. Finding "comfortable" clothes had become difficult for Van in the past few years. Even his leather gloves were forbidden to him unless he was sparring and working on his sword technique. 

Of course, the damned high neck shirt would make it difficult for him to rip off if he was to perhaps fall off of some tall building and needed to use his wings. It wasn't as if he would be allowed to jump off a cliff now that he was king anyway. 

All of this "fastidiousness" was the diabolical handiwork of Van's Advisor, Raden. Raden Badou was formerly a citizen of the Austurian Empire. It was Drydan who introduced Raden into Van's services, knowing that Van was looking for an Advisor to help encourage and expand his country's economic situation. The mercantile business and economy was one of Raden's specialties. He was a former colleague of the infamous merchant Meiden Fassa. Friends they were not, but constructive competition were the keywords. Raden and Meiden had learned much from each other, though neither would admit it. Each man considered himself to be the best out there in the merchant world.

With the wisdom came certain peculiarities, one of which was Raden's idea of what a "king" should look like. If Raden couldn't control his king's actions the least he could do was make his Highness look good while He was doing whatever He liked to do. Eccentric as his Advisor was, Van knew without a doubt the man was fiercely loyal to his King.

Van's brow furrowed into a frown as he tapped his finger against the railing restlessly. He had received news that there had been activity regarding the former empire of Zaibach, and he wasn't happy.

"Raden, I don't understand at all. Why didn't I hear about this before? Rumors didn't just pop up overnight. We've barely been gone for two weeks! Why didn't we hear anything about this crap until now, especially while we were in Asturia? They must have heard something about this."

Raden fidgeted with his quill and shook his head. "I really don't know, your Highness. Apparently, the local merchants have been talking about how the trading with the smaller countries near Zaibach is becoming increasingly difficult. There are rumors that bandits have taken to ambushing the merchants, taking everything they can carry away."

"And rumors begin for a reason," muttered Van. "Have any of the local merchants been attacked? Why didn't any of them come to tell us what was going on?"

"We believe it's because the local merchants haven't been attacked themselves. They've only heard from other travelling merchants they meet on their runs. That's why no one has come forward with news. They don't want to raise a false alarm and cause themselves trouble. It would just cause chaos, and no one wants to believe that there's another possibility of war after this long. The farmers think it's all hogwash anyhow, the babbling of greedy merchants. They still aren't happy with the move towards the mercantile trade in Fanelia.

"Why? The mercantile trade is a big reason why the farmers are subsidized the way they are! Without the merchants and trade we would of never been able to rebuild Fanelia as quickly as we did, nor be in the economic situation we're in right now. The farmers complain now because they're afraid that maybe what the merchants say is true, that there will be war." Raden sighed and slumped his shoulders as if exhausted by his little lecture.

Van snorted. "Well, all the economics aside, we can't ignore the farmers. The agriculture here has be a big part of Fanelian life. Whether you like it or not, Fanelia won't be a miniature replica of Austria. The rural way of life will always be a part of Fanelia, and it won't be swept under the carpet like #&$@_0!"

Raden sighed. "Please your Highness, you should really watch your language."

Van stared out over the vast patches of forest. "We can't ignore the signs of war either."

Van walked back into the room and wandered over to the table where a letter was laid out, the edges of the paper curling slightly. The letter bore the seal of Dryden Fassa. Van slowly flattened the paper and reread Dryden's unsettling message:

__

Your Highness,

I regret that I was unable to meet with you during your stay in Asturia. Please accept my apologies for my absence. Be aware, however, that I did not miss your visit for any small reason. 

I left Asturia because I had received disturbing news from one of my smaller merchant bases in Senia, just east of Zaibach. I went, of course, to investigate, discovering upon my arrival that several of my barges had been attacked en route to Egzardia and ransacked for its goods. Most of my people were taken hostage or killed.

Two of the hostages managed to escape and had returned to Senia with news of a new leader in Zaibach called "The Fallen One". Apparently he is calling for the destitute in war-torn Zaibach to come together and take back from the world what was once theirs. And to "The Fallen One", this means everything. The two hostages died a few hours after they delivered their message from their wounds and sheer exhaustion.

This news deeply troubles me. For the past six years, the countries involved in the Great War have been too preoccupied rebuilding what was lost. In our self-absorption, we had forgotten our past enemy and the suffering their people went through after the War. Zaibach's people had no leaders, suffering from famine, disease, and the total shutdown of their technological world, lacking the knowledge Dornkirk's scientists once had.

Be warned: The time is ripe for war. This "Fallen One" understands his people are tired of humiliation and is aware that they have nothing left to lose. We have all grown comfortable in our peace and prosperity. What better time to attack when the power of rebellion is in the palm of your hand? We have also learned that Zaibach is working towards a new age regaining the technology they had lost, and within the last year rapidly rearming for something more than self-defense. Until now, they had taken great pains to disguise their efforts.

I have also written King Aston, and the Duke of Freid, Chid zar Freid, in hopes that my warning will be heeded. The danger of war is very real...and I fear that we may not have much time left. 

Alas, I will not be present for your birthday. These recent events have delayed our departure from port. From the looks of things we will arrive a couple days after the big celebration. There is more I need to tell you, but for now this letter must be enough. I look forward to seeing your Highness once again.

Honorably yours,

Merchant Dryden Fassa

Van's mouth thinned into a grim line. Things didn't look good, but until Dryden arrived nothing else could be done. They needed the information that Dryden would provide. Though Van found Dryden to be a little overwhelming, he was aware the man had a good head on his shoulders and was not a stranger to politics. After all, no matter how short, he WAS married to Millerna during the Great War, and ruled in King Aston's stead while the King was ill. 

Van's eyes focussed on the name that the hostages gave and felt a shiver run through him. He remembered a dream that he had a few years ago...and he couldn't, for the life of him, figure out why he was doing so now.

There was a discreet knock the chamber door and at Raden's answer, a guard poked his head through.

"Excuse me Lord Advisor, but Sir Allen and his sister Lady Celena have arrived. Sir Allen expressed his wish to meet with His Highness privately, and as soon as possible at His Highness' convenience."

Raden glanced back at Van, who nodded.

"Once they're settled, bring them into the Hall. Find Calder for me as well." 

The guard nodded and withdrew. Raden looked at Van, a question in his eyes. Taking one last glance at the letter in his hand, Van set it back onto the table. He took a deep breath, and left the room.

* * * * * 

Van's audience chamber was a roomy area that provided enough space for the Samurai to move with freedom without allowing many places, if any at all, for spies and would be assassins to hide. Not that there were very many attempts mind you. Fanelian loved her King, but there were a couple of fanatics out there who thought that Draconian blood would be the doom of them all. 

Van shifted in his chair and glanced to his left at Raden, who was grumbling quietly to himself about wasted time. Raden ALWAYS complained about audiences. He was a big fan of Van attending them, but when the rule applied to him, it irritated the hell out of him. 

Van hid a grin. Revenge, even so little, was still sweet.

On Van's right his chief Samurai, Calder, stood calmly with an ever-present frown on his face. His bark was much nastier than his bite, unless it was his sword. Though one wouldn't guess it from his appearance, Calder had a gentle heart and a wicked sense of humor. Van was grateful that Calder didn't put up a fuss about the audience like Raden. Nothing was worse than hearing a grown man whine, except two grown men whining together.

Calder probably hated audiences as much as Raden but considered it his duty to protect his king from possible threats. Anyone who wanted to get to the king would have to go through him first.

It would prove to be a difficult task for any assassin wanna-be. Calder Penreth was one of the three Great Swordmasters of Gaea. Balgus, Fanelia's former Chief Samurai, had also been a Great Swordmaster. Now that he was gone there were only two that remained, Calder and a mysterious person named Musalen. There were very few in Gaea who could actually confirm the existence of Musalen at all. Those few who knew couldn't agree what the third Swordmaster even looked like.

Calder had, on occasion, trained with Balgus during their travelling stints in order to refine their techniques. Calder had been much younger than Balgus when they had first met. Despite their age differences, with Balgus as senior by 10 years, they had been good friends sharing their knowledge with each other. Eventually they both went their separate ways. 

After the Great War, Calder had reappeared to pay his respects to Fanelia's new king and the passing of Balgus. To Van's complete surprise, Calder offered his sword in service to Van. Calder had been bitter about the slaying of Balgus, for he was off in the mountains seeking to better himself during the Great War and had returned to civilization too late to help. He returned vowing to protect what Balgus had sacrificed his life for, Fanelia and her king.

Van was grateful for Calder's service. Bereft of Balgus's guidance, Calder's intensity and discipline helped Van improve his own techniques.

The guard at the entrance of the Hall coughed to catch Van's attention. 

"Your Highness, Sir Allen and Lady Celena are here."

The guard opened the door and let Allen and Celena in. With a grin, Van hopped off his throne and met them halfway before Raden could protest. He tried, but it was a weak one and no one heard him anyway.

Allen and Van pounded each other on the backs their mouths stretched in smiles so big their faces looked like festival masks. Not to be outdone, Celena gave Van a hug and a kiss on the cheek that had Van blushing.

There was a time when Van couldn't even look at Celena, the memories of Dilandu was too fresh. As time went by, even Van could see that Celena was a different person all together and he had come to consider Celena a cherished friend. They would tease each other mercilessly, delighting in each other's embarrassments. Raden could only throw his arms up in the air. Now with all three of them together and throw Merle into the mix, things always got interesting.

Pulling away from Celena, Van turned to Calder waving him over. "Calder, come and meet the new Asturian ambassador, Allen Schezar."

Allen glanced at Van who shrugged off the look. "He's my chief samurai and the closest to me next to Raden. Why shouldn't he know?"

Calder bowed to Allen. "It's a pleasure, Ambassador. I've heard great things about you and your swordsmanship. Perhaps you will consider a demonstration to the soldiers if the time permits?"

Allen grinned. "Anything to accommodate a Great Swordmaster like you, Calder Penreth." 

Van leaned on Celena and slung his arm around her shoulder. He affectionately mussed up her hair as he asked, "So how was your trip over?"

Allen shrugged and glanced at Celena who was attempting to tickle Van in the ribs. "It was alright. I probably would have been better if Celena didn't force me to ride in the carriage."

Celena finally punched Van in the stomach to make him let go of her head, and stood up chuckling. "I didn't force you at all." Van laughed at the outright lie.

Allen sighed with a mock pained look on his face. "The abuse I put up with," he said mournfully. "I pray for the day that unshaven money-making freak takes you away from me..."

Before Celena could protest the outrageous comment about her fiancé, Allen turned to Van, frowning, "Van, there was something I wanted to tell you. The other night Celena and I saw something really strange..."

He broke off when he heard a commotion outside. Calder stepped from his post, his hand on his sword ready to draw.

The doors at the end of the hall burst open. "Allen! Celena! I though you'd never get here!" Merle cried as she flew in to give Allen a furry hug.

To everyone's amusement, Calder groaned as he relaxed and gave Merle an admonishing glare. "Must you barge in like that, Lady Merle?"

Merle grinned and winked. "Ah Calder, you know it brings excitement into your life."

"The highlight of my day, Lady." 

"Merle! Oh it's so good to see you!" Celena rushed forward to hug her friend. Merle returned it enthusiastically. 

"Celena! How have you been? Where's Dryden?"

"Feh, my fiancé can come and get me when he's finally ready to get married. I'm tired of waiting around for the big goof." 

"Ah, I see..." Merle murmured. Suddenly she straightened up. "I almost forgot! Let me introduce you to a friend I just met! Van, I wanted to ask you if I could get something for Seiki to wear to the celebration tomorrow. The poor girl has nothing appropriate to wear that Sosa hasn't messed up and those "noble" bitches sniffing around you will probably try and tear her apart. Isn't that right, Seiki?...Seiki?"

Merle looked around her. Celena grinned. "So do we get to meet your invisible friend too?"

"Eh?" Merle huffed and then stalked back outside. Seconds later, the group could hear a female voice protesting.

"Merle! Merle don't! I don't need to attend the dinner! I don't need a dress! Ah *bleep*! Merle are you listening? I wasn't invited dammit!"

Merle appeared dragging behind her a slender girl with her silver hair in a long braid.

"Don't be silly Seiki. I invited you as my friend. Honestly!"

Van looked at Merle, puzzled. "Why are you even asking for a dress Merle? You know you don't need my permission to buy anything."

Merle shook her head. She glared at Seiki who was intently studying her shoes. "I'm trying to convince Seiki that it's alright for her to attend the dinner." Merle heaved a frustrated sigh. "It seems you'll have to invite her yourself before she'll agree to come!"

Van raised an eyebrow as he heard Seiki mumble to herself, "But I don't WANT to *bleeping* go."

Allen spoke up, voice pitched to sooth and flatter. "Come now. Would you deny the King and I the pleasure of your company?"

Van almost flinched at the sugary words. How Allen ever came up with those types of phrases was beyond Van's comprehension. It made his brain hurt. 

To Van's surprise, instead of swooning like most women did, Seiki recoiled at Allen's words. She took an unsteady step back and slowly raised her eyes to look at Allen.

"I couldn't, couldn't possibly..." she stammered. Suddenly she froze in mid-sentence as her gaze finally met Allen's blue eyes.

Van didn't hear Allen respond as he watched Seiki's green eyes widen in horror and the pupils became painfully large. Recognition flickered visibly on her face.

"Allen..." she whispered. "...Schezar?" Her eyes flickered to Merle and then Van as panic spread across her face. "Merle...Van Fanel?"

Seiki collapsed in a dead faint.

Van quickly caught Seiki as she fell despite Calder's warning to let her fall. He understood Calder's fear of treachery, but there was no way Van was going to let a woman faint at his feet, or rather was that Allen's feet?

As Van gently lowered Seiki on the ground, Celena quipped, "Gee Allen, you've always had a way with the women..."

Merle sat down beside Van and brushed away silver hair from Seiki's face. Merle checked Seiki's pulse, pried open an eye. "She's breathing a little erratically and her pupils are dilated. What the hell is it?" she muttered to herself. She leaned back and looked at Van. "Wonder why Seiki said our names like that."

Van shrugged.

Allen frowned as he kneeled on the other side of Seiki's prone body. Celena stood behind him, lightly resting her hand on his shoulder.

"Allen," she asked, "Have you seen this girl before? She knew your name."

Allen shook his long blonde hair. "No, I've never seen anyone like her. It's not like my name is a mystery after all. But if I did, I would remember her. She has eyes like..." Allen stopped short as he look at Van.

"Like Hitomi," Merle whispered, finishing his sentence.

"Van," Allen leaned towards his friend. "Do you know where Seiki is from?"

Van was staring fixedly at Seiki's face.

"I don't know," he said tonelessly, "I met her on the way back from Asturia."

Raden grunted making it clear that it wasn't his idea to allow the strange girl to travel with them.

"The day you left?" Allen questioned softly.

"Night."

Allen sucked in his breath as he looked up at Celena. That night...could it be? Celena nodded slightly. She was thinking the same thing.

A gasp from Merle caused them both to glance back. "Van," she said in a shaky voice, "the pendant...it's glowing!"

Van touched the pendant. It had fallen out of his shirt when he caught Seiki. Merle was right, the pendant was glowing...again. After all these years it had reacted to nothing. Now twice in less than a week and both times SHE was near. 

Van's gaze returned to Seiki's sleeping face only to find himself staring into fierce green eyes.

"Seiki?"

* * * * *

Seiki knelt on the floor and warily eyed Van's chief samurai whose body language was screaming full protective mode.

One wrong move, his grim face said, and I'll chop you into itsy bitsy pieces like mushed up liver. Yuck what a thought. Seiki hated liver.

Seiki closed her eyes. Her head felt too big and her thoughts moved sluggishly, which would explain the thoughts about liver. Seiki struggled to understand the last moments before she passed out.

Van was off to the side, still vehemently arguing with his Advisor, most likely about whether or not she was dangerous.

Opening her eyes, she caught the blue gaze of Allen Schezar. He had the most peculiar expression on his face. With her head in the messy state it was in, she couldn't tell what the expression was. He stood with his sister and Merle just to the side of the throne. Seiki knew that the drama was the result fainting after announcing all their names in a nice, mysterious way.

She was probably going to make it worse too.

Van and Raden had finished arguing and Van was wearily returning to his throne.

When he reached it, he simply stood in front of it, his back turned to Seiki.

"We would like an explanation." 

Seiki bit her lip and stared at her hands still wrestling with the chaotic thoughts in her mind. The eyes of her dragon ring started to glow slightly. Seiki tightened her hand into a fist glaring at the ring.

Raising her head she looked at Van who had turned around to face her. The pendant at his neck was glowing as well. Van's jaw tightened and she knew that he saw. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. She blinked in surprise. A single though rose clearly in her mind and she knew what to do.

"It's time..." Seiki's voice came out gravelly, sounding rusted and unused. She cleared her throat painfully.

Seiki hesitated as she met Van's eyes. They were stormy and his red eyes dark with conflict. She look away.

"I have a message for you. For Merle. For Allen."

Van scowled. "From?" he grated.

Seiki looked at Merle who met her gaze and nodded. Surprised with the support it was still barely enough to squeak the words past her mouth. 

"The Mystic Moon...from Hitomi."

Everyone froze and the look on Van's face was a cross between hope and pure terror.

Afraid? Seiki understood. He was afraid of what news she brought.

Van clenched his fist. "The message," he ground out. "Where is it?"

Seiki shook her head. "It's not on paper." She felt her face redden in embarrassment. "It's in my head somewhere."

"Excuse me?" Van sputtered. "It's somewhere in your head? What the hell does THAT mean?"

Seiki coughed. Her ears were turning red too. "It's not like I put it in there okay? I didn't even know I was CARRYING one until I saw all three of you together."

Merle's ear twitched. "We were a trigger?"

"Yeah, kinda like that I guess." Seiki shrugged. "Think of it as a big jigsaw puzzle. When I first saw...His Majesty, that was the first piece of the puzzle. You can't tell what the picture is with just one piece, so you try and find another piece."

Seiki frowned and fiddled with the end of her braid. "When I met Merle while chasing that little brat, that was the second piece. I knew something was weird but I still didn't know what was going on. I just knew that I was in the right place."

"So Allen is the final piece?" Celena asked curiously?

Seiki nodded. "Seeing all three of you completed the puzzle." Seiki laughed sharply. "Pretty overwhelming when the picture is telling you that you're a blindfolded messenger."

"What's the message?" Allen asked, frowning.

Seiki smiled. "Don't have a clue."

"WHAT?" roared Van. Allen clasped his shoulder to prevent Van from leaping down to strangle the white-haired bitch.

Seiki rolled her eyes. "For crying out loud. SHE went though this much trouble to hide FROM ME that I was carrying the message. You think she would let me know what it is?"

She stood up and froze when Calder stepped forward to make sure she didn't do anything stupid. *Too late.*

"I need the key in order to give you the message." 

"Key? What key?" Allen sputtered.

Seiki said nothing in response but just stared at Van. "It's time," she said simply.

Merle turned to Van and murmured to herself, "Puzzle? We are the pieces of the puzzle...and the key?..." Her eyes were drawn to the glowing pendant. She heard Van and Allen sunk in their breath as they realized at the same time what the key was. 

Raden stumbled to Van's side. "Majesty, I don't like the sounds of this. Please, leave it be."

Calder suddenly pushed Raden aside, ignoring the Advisor's squeal of protest and shouted to Van, "Highness! Look out!"

Whirling, Van's mouth worked in surprised as he saw Seiki disappear. Calder drew his sword and stepped in front of Van slashing at the air before him.

Merle shrieked as she saw Seiki reappear in front of Calder, barely ducking in time to save her head from being lopped off. Her silver hair fell loose, the tie holding her hair cut free.

Moving like something possessed, Seiki slipped past Calder's deadly blade up to Van and grasped the glowing pendant.

The glow widened and engulfed them both. Calder shouted in horror and watched helplessly as the light reached out and took Allen and Merle as well.

* * * * *

"Majesty!" Raden screamed and ran to the pulsing sphere of light as if he intended to pull the King out himself.

Someone firmly grabbed Raden's arm and held him from going further. Twisting wildly, Raden saw Celena shaking her head as she clung to him.

"Don't." she said hissed. "We don't know what will happen if you interfere." She look at the light and then turned back to Raden gripping both of his arms. Then Celena spoke in a slow, clear voice like she was instructing one of the local children, "Raden...This_is_not_an_ordinary_thing."

"How can you say that?" Raden snarled furiously, too upset to realize that he completely missed the point of Celena's comment. "Your own brother was taken by that...that THING!"

"Enough Advisor," Calder rumbled in his deep voice. He stared at the undulating light that contained his King, comrades and that GIRL. That girl...

"Lady Celena is right. We will wait and hope that little girl intends to deliver only a message." Calder turned away from the light and looked at Raden. The expression on his face made Raden shrink back involuntarily.

Celena watched the light and hoped that she was right. 

[ Chapter 6   
"Revelations I"][1]

Back to   
[_The Prophecy_'s Main Page][2]
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E-mail Me!   
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_The Prophecy_, original artwork and links © Melinda Ho 1999-2001. All rights reserved.   
The Vision of Escaflowne title, names and characters © Hajime Yadate and Shouji Kawamori.   
This fanfiction also includes parts from the anime/manga Rurouni Kenshin, all characters and references to it the property of Sony and Nobuhiro Watsuki.   
_The Prophecy_ is a fanfiction, and is not for sale or profit and for personal use only. Do not distribute. 

   [1]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/escaflowne6f.html
   [2]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/escaflowne.html
   [3]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/chapters.html
   [4]: mailto:trademmho@home.com



	7. Chapter 6 - Revelations I

The Prophecy: Chapter 6

**The Prophecy**

**_A Vision of Escaflowne Fanfiction_**

The standard disclaimer: Yeah, okay I stole these characters from the marvelous creators of The Vision of Escaflowne...and Rurouni Kenshin too. Yadda yadda yadda. Please don't sue me ^_^ The main story line is of my own delusional imaginings. Yadda yadda yadda. Please do not distribute. Thanks. 

**The Twinned shall fall from the Sky.   
A Broken Land shall rise again;   
Vengeance and Hunger as Guidance.   
The Wheel of Fortune turns.   
Feathers tipped in Blood;   
The Dragon's Sword forged in heated Battle.   
Thy Kingdom's Heart it shall possess.**

  


**CHAPTER 6: "Revelations I" **

Darkness.

Seiki felt like she was in a big, black pit. All her senses were numb and she couldn't feel anything except the odd sensation of being dragged into a large tar pit. It was a little like swimming though a tub full of Jello[TM]...wait... she REALLY didn't want to go there.

Did people always think such stupid thoughts in situations like this?

She moved her head to look around. A bunch of nothingness. She knew this place, Grandma told her about it once, but how did she get here?

The message! The key was the reason why, but Seiki was worried about why she was here. The message was suppose to be for Van, Allen and Merle. When the heck was it decided that she was in the equation too? 

Seiki sighed heavily. A classic case of shooting the messenger for the message. Well, that was what Van looked like he wanted to do before she went after the pendant. And was all that hokey stuff she was spouting about everything in her mind? How embarrassing. Go figure just when she needed her wits about her she babbles on about stupid mind reading crap. Must of heard too many of Sailor Moon's corny messages.

A small pinpoint of light appeared in front of her. It grew bigger until it blinded her. Blinking furiously, Seiki tried to adjust her sight. She squinted and blurry colours in front of her resolved into trees and blue sky.

*Seiki?*

Seiki stiffened in shock.

A slender, older woman with short, greying blonde hair, stood in front of Seiki. Gentle laugh lines crinkled at the ends of Hitomi's green eyes.

"Mom?"

* * * * *

"Hitomi? Hitomi? Is that really you?" Merle squealed and ran to her friend.

"Merle, please," Hitomi wheezed. "You're squeezing me a little too hard.

"Oooh, sorry!" Merle hastily let go. "Hitomi, you look..." Merle paused taking in Hitomi's youthful appearance. "You look exactly the same as when I last saw you...6 years ago. You're still 15? You even have that same ridiculous outfit the last time you were here!"

Merle looked around her in alarm, taking in the small garden, the blue skies, the birds singing in the trees. She could see the bright sun and the faint sliver of a single Moon. 

"Where are we?"

"Merle, please calm down. This is my house, where I once lived." 

"Ah, I see..." Merle gasped. "Lived?"

Hitomi smiled sadly and sat down on the back porch step. She patted the space next to her. "Come sit with me."

Merle sidled over. "Well, okay, as long as you don't suck my blood or walk through me or something."

Hitomi reached over and pinched Merle's cheeks, pulling them to make a painful macabre grin appear on Merle's face.

"Solid enough for you? I'm not going to walk though you," Hitomi huffed, "And you should remember I hated the sight of blood."

Merle pulled away from Hitomi's grip and rubbed her sore face. Waving her hands in a mock warding gesture, Merle said in her best spooky voice, "Suuuure. I bet you're really vampire waiting to drink my blood! Doesn't matter if you like seeing blood if you're a vampire! You just have to close your eyes and suck. How creepy!"

Hitomi rolled her eyes and said dryly, "Why would I want YOUR blood? Probably taste all gross and sour coming from you."

Merle shrieked in dismay at the insult and then stopped eyeing Hitomi suspiciously.

"Well if you're not a vampire you're a ghost sent here to haunt me, aren't you?"

Hitomi smacked Merle upside the head.

"Damn right!"

"Don't hit your elders!" Merle joked as she finally settled down beside Hitomi who snickered behind her hand.

Merle sighed and leaned back on her arms. As they sat in comfortable silence Merle looked up at the sky feeling breeze on her face.

"Ne, Hitomi..."

"Hmmm?"

"This isn't real is it?"

"No."

"Where are we?"

"In your mind."

Merle laughed, "I see, so Seiki wasn't completely mad then. In my mind, huh? Why doesn't that surprise me? I remember when Van would be standing around with a blank look on his face and the stupidest smile. I always wondered what sweet nothings you would be saying to him."

Hitomi blushed.

"Where are the others by the way?" Merle looked around suspiciously, expecting Van or Allen to jump out laughing. "I don't see them here though they got swallowed up by that light thingamajiggy too."

Hitomi rubbed the back of her head. "Well it's kinda easier to talk to each of you one to one."

"But why all of this?" She waved her hand out to the beautiful garden. "Wouldn't it have been better if you just came to Gaea yourself?"

"No."

"Why not? Don't tell me..."

"Merle." Hitomi winced. "I was very ill when I gave my message to Seiki. It took everything I had left to send her here."

"Everything?" Merle frowned, concern creeping into the tone of her voice.

"Yes." Hitomi smiled wistfully. "I passed away right after Seiki left for Gaea." Hitomi's brow wrinkled slightly. "Poor Seiki, she's having a hard time with this."

"Is she a lost sister or something?" Merle fiddled with her ear. "A relative maybe? She has your eyes..."

"She's my daughter."

* * * * * 

"Your da-daughter?" Allen stammered in surprise. "I can understand maybe a sister or cousin, but Seiki's your child?"

Allen turned to stare in Hitomi's green eyes. "How is it possible? It's only been six years since you've left us, yet your daughter is fully grown, only a few years younger than Van himself."

He took in the youthful appearance of his former love. "You look as young as the day you left, but Seiki's existence tells me more. Just how much time has passed on the Mystic Moon?"

Hitomi smiled and gently patted Allen's hand. "It's hard to explain. There doesn't seem to be much logic to time when we travel between the worlds but from what I can figure it seems about twenty-four years have passed by."

"Twenty-four?" Allen's jaw gaped. "But, but how is that possible?"

She looked up at the sky. "Remember that girl from the Mystic Moon that your father searched for?"

Allen stiffened at the mention of the old wound but then forced himself to relax. "Yes."

Hitomi nodded sensing his discomfort. "I saw it as well, your vision when we were in Asgard."

Allen shifted his weight. "I remember feeling your presence when I confronted my father."

"The young girl he saw was my grandmother. My mother told me about my grandmother's story. It happened during the summer festival when she was walking home, twice in the same night.

"So how is it possible that when your father saw my grandmother, she wasn't much older than you at the time; or that hardly any time passed at all on the Mystic Moon when she was sent to see your father both times over a span of years on Gaea?"

Allen heaved a sigh and rubbed his head. "There doesn't seem to be any pattern does there?"

Hitomi smiled. "Only the Fates can see it if there is one."

Allen frowned a little, "But if twenty-four years have passed by on the Mystic Moon, why do you appear so young?"

"Because it's easier for you to see me as I was." Hitomi pointed out. "Do you it would have been better if I appeared as a middle-aged woman? The way my daughter sees me?"

"I suppose not." Allen sighed heavily. "It's all pretty hard to swallow in any form, but I guess seeing you as you were makes it a little easier at first."

He looked around appreciating the garden and serene atmosphere.

"This was your home?" Hitomi nodded. "It's beautiful." Allen looked at Hitomi sadly. "I still can't believe that you're...gone. Does...does Van know?"

Hitomi looked down. "He will."

Allen reached over and tugged a short lock of Hitomi's hair. "Do you want to tell me why I'm so calm about all of this?" He hesitated, fumbling for the right words. "I mean you would think that I would be a bit more upset about you, don't you think? But here, everything here feels so calm."

Hitomi nodded. "Because you know..."

Allen cocked his head.

"You know I'm at peace. This place in your mind reflects the state of my spirit. This message...it's the last thing I can do for my children."

Allen blinked slowly. "Children? You mean you have more children?"

"A son. Seiji is his name. He is the only reason that Seiki agreed to leave me, to search for her brother." Hitomi paused. "He disappeared a year ago from the Mystic Moon and my dreams told me he'd be here.

There's no way for us to tell how long he's been on Gaea though. He could've appeared right after the Great War for all we know. Like I said before, it seems that the Fates send us where it wills us."

"Through your dreams, Hitomi?" Allen frowned. "How did Seiji manage to come to Gaea?"

Hitomi shook her head. "I don't know."

"I see." Allen sighed. He paused and shifted his body a little. Sitting on a porch step wasn't exactly comfortable. 

"So...who's 'us'?" 

Hitomi raised an eyebrow. "Geez," she laughed, "aren't we reaching a little bit? Do I really need to say?"

"Spell it out for me, Hitomi." Allen gave her a lopsided grin. "Besides it would be nice to know who's been a part of your life. A chance to catch up before you leave me again...for good."

Hitomi sighed. "We don't have too much time left. Alright...what do you want to know about my husband?"

* * * * *

Van frowned and looked at his hands. They were shaking. Everything...seemed like a dream. Seeing Hitomi again after all these years of not being able to was a shock to his system. He was still trying to figure out if it was a pleasant feeling or not, if one imagined getting hit by lightning as pleasant that is.

"What was your husband like?"

Hitomi shifted slightly. "He was a good man, Van. We met when I started my first year in University." She looked at Van sadly. "I never thought there would be another, Van. I really didn't."

She tucked her arms under her knees. "When I found Seijuro I realized that my heart had room for more than one love." She turned her head to look at Van and gently touched his cheek. "I've always loved you Van. You were a mirror to my soul, but I was still missing the other half of ME." 

Hitomi sat back and touched her heart. "I had the spiritual contentment with you, but in everything else I felt so alone."

Van grimaced and reached out to touch her hand. "Was it because I wasn't with you often enough? I tried, but after a while I couldn't even see you anymore."

Hitomi looked startled at Van's comment and her eyes widened in understanding. She sighed. "Oh Van, it wasn't you." She turned her palm up allowing Van's fingertips to rest there. "I just needed more in my life. I needed a real person who could hold me, and be with me. Someone I could raise a family with, who would play with my children and...I guess, become my other half."

"It wasn't like I could call you up to go for some ice cream, Van."

"Was he? Everything you wanted I mean." Van asked quietly. Did he want to hear this?

"Yes," Hitomi nodded. "And so much more. He was my light, my strength."

"I'm glad." He was. He was surprised to feel it. 

Hitomi looked at Van, uncertain. He smiled and nudged her gently. "I am. I'm glad he made you happy." 

"I just never thought it would be someone else," he thought to himself.

Hitomi pulled her hand back and propped her chin up on her knees. "When Seijuro died and my son disappeared, I grew tired of being strong." She laughed a little bitterly. "So here I am, dead and all, and my only daughter is left to take a stab at Gaea all by herself." 

"Seiki..." Van hesitated, "Your daughter seems...well...different from you."

Hitomi snickered. "Ahhh, Seiki. Yes, she's very much like her father. Independent, strong, intelligent and socially inept." She chuckled again at Van's curious expression.

"Of my two children, Seiji has always been the social one. The leader. He WANTS to be needed, thrives in the spotlight. Ah, my son was a popular one. Did all the sports, excelled in his grades, and the girls loved him."

Hitomi smiled wistfully, "Maybe that's why I spoiled him rotten, feeding that big ego of his."

"And Seiki wasn't the same?"

"You mean popular with the girls?" Van frowned for a minute and then blushed when he understood. 

"No...no that wasn't what I meant...I mean..."

Hitomi smiled mischievously, "Van, I'm only teasing you."

Van sighed, exasperated. "Sorry, I'm feeling a little...I dunno...stiff. Raden must be rubbing off on me."

Hitomi squeezed Van's arm sympathetically. "Never much of a talker were you?"

Van smiled. "Never had to, especially back then. Wasn't much to say except to yell out some war cries." 

Hitomi gazed up at the sky. "My daughter is night to Seiji's day. The hour she was born she was independent. Didn't seek praise or the spotlight, content to sit in the shadows and watch her brother do both. Perhaps that was why it was so easy to neglect her. She never made any demands. She'd be in the garden for hours, and she told me once that she was happy to 'just listen to the music in the breeze.'"

Van sat back in surprise. "You make her seem rather quiet and shy." He laughed self-consciously. "The Seiki I met seems extremely confident in herself."

Hitomi smiled knowingly. "Just wait 'till you see her at a party." She tucked her arms around her legs. 

"Seiki is wonderful when she only has to deal with a couple people at a time. Not so many personalities to appease then." Hitomi shrugged. "Seiki needs to be needed. She needs reason, a purpose in her life in order to grow. She thrives when adversity rules. When I gave up my reason to live, Seiki took care of me, of the house, of the bills...everything. Because I NEEDED her.

"She's in Gaea because I needed her to find Seiji...and deliver my message to you."

Hitomi stopped and frowned. "Van...do you remember having a dream, a really strange one about war?"

Van let out a surprised laugh at the quick change in subject. "Which one? I've had so many nightmares about war I can't keep track of them. Even now the Great War still haunts me."

"Well the thing about THIS dream are the words. If you remember the dream at all the words will jump out at you.

"The Twinned shall fall from the Sky..."

Van stiffened. He remembered...something.

"A Broken Land shall rise again;" 

A flash of images...

"Vengeance and Hunger as Guidance."

Hitomi paused. "Do you remember, Van?" she asked softly.

Van swallowed hard and nodded. "I think so...what was it?"

"The Wheel of Fortune turns.   
Feathers tipped in Blood;   
The Dragon's Sword forged in heated Battle.   
Thy Kingdom's Heart it shall possess."

Hitomi shivered. "It was something that came to me...like a dream." She shook her head in sudden denial. "No, not a dream. I was wide awake."

"My mother-in-law told me once that it was a Prophecy. A foretelling of my children's future."

Van felt his breathe stop, caught in his throat. "Wasn't that...what you used to do before? With those cards?"

"Yes, but...but I stopped that a long time ago. I stopped reading the tarot cards when I returned home from Gaea!" Hitomi slapped her hand down on the step in emphasis. "I swore to myself I would never try to see the future again. Never again!"

She trembled and her hand clenched into a fist. "But the Fates have given my children a destiny."

"And they wanted us to know it."

Hitomi looked into Van's eyes, fear in her wide, green eyes. "War is coming Van. It's coming again, I can see it. And it will be even greater than the Great War..." Van gently reached out and took her hand.

"And my children will be in the middle of everything."

* * * * *

Allen murmured softly, "Seiki will be fine, Hitomi. She'a your daughter after all, and I'm sure she'll find her brother."

Hitomi shook her head. "No, you don't understand. Seiki will stop at nothing to find her brother. She'll forget everything to accomplish her goal. With the war coming, she'll forget to protect herself and give up everything...do you understand?"

A tear slid down her face. "I want Seiki to find Seiji, but not at the cost of her life."

* * * * *

Merle hugged Hitomi, wanting her friend to stop crying. "Oh Hitomi, surely Seiki will have enough sense? We can find a way to find Seiji without risking her, right? Right?"

Hitomi wiped away her tears. "Merle? Promise me you'll help protect her? Keep her from going too far to find her brother. Remind her that she's only human? Please...remind her...that her life is precious too." 

Merle nodded solemnly. "I promise."

* * * * *

Allen ruffled Hitomi's hair. "I promise."

* * * * *

Van held Hitomi for the last time. "I promise."

* * * * *

"Mom," Seiki looked up from her mother's arms. "Do you really have to go? I don't understand what's going on anymore. I miss you so much."

Hitomi smiled and gently stroked her daughter's hair. "I'm sorry love. I'm afraid the spell's over. My message has been delivered." She tugged lightly on a strand of silver hair. "My poor daughter, I haven't been much of a mother to you have I?"

Seiki bolted straight up and glared at her mom. "What kind of stupid question is that, Mom?" She sighed and leaned back into her mother's embrace. "You're the best, even when you're a ghost."

Hitomi chuckled, "Shhhhh, don't tell Merle I'm a ghost. I'm sure it would freak her right out."

Seiki smiled wanly and swallowed the lump in her throat. She would not cry. She would not...cry. She shut her eyes and felt hot tears trickle out from under her eyelids.

"Seiki...oh Seiki don't cry love. You know I love you. Don't you?" Hitomi gently rocked her child in her arms. "Remember that...remember your life is precious to me."

"Please be careful."

Seiki sobbed and everything went black once again.

[ Chapter 7   
"Challenge"][1]

Back to   
[_The Prophecy_'s Main Page][2]
Back to   
[_The Prophecy_'s Chapters Page][3]
E-mail Me!   
[ trademmho@home.com][4]

_The Prophecy_, original artwork and links © Melinda Ho 1999-2001. All rights reserved.   
The Vision of Escaflowne title, names and characters © Hajime Yadate and Shouji Kawamori.   
This fanfiction also includes parts from the anime/manga Rurouni Kenshin, all characters and references to it the property of Sony and Nobuhiro Watsuki.   
_The Prophecy_ is a fanfiction, and is not for sale or profit and for personal use only. Do not distribute. 

   [1]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/escaflowne7f.html
   [2]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/escaflowne.html
   [3]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/chapters.html
   [4]: mailto:trademmho@home.com



	8. Chapter 7 - Challenge

The Prophecy: Chapter 7

**The Prophecy**

**_A Vision of Escaflowne Fanfiction_**

The standard disclaimer: Yeah, okay I stole these characters from the marvelous creators of The Vision of Escaflowne...and Rurouni Kenshin too. Yadda yadda yadda. Please don't sue me ^_^ The main story line is of my own delusional imaginings. Yadda yadda yadda. Please do not distribute. Thanks. 

**The Twinned shall fall from the Sky.   
A Broken Land shall rise again;   
Vengeance and Hunger as Guidance.   
The Wheel of Fortune turns.   
Feathers tipped in Blood;   
The Dragon's Sword forged in heated Battle.   
Thy Kingdom's Heart it shall possess.**

  


**CHAPTER 7: "Challenge" **

Celena looked around the hall, wondering if she could drag one of the audience chairs over to sit on while they waited for the light to go away. It would probably be a long wait. Come to think of it, she'd been sitting in that damn coach for 3 days already, so why would she want to sit even more?

Already restless and wrestling with her fear for Allen, Celena turned to study her unusual companions.

The big guy was looking more and more like the wolfmen tribe that was not far away from the Fanelian tribe. She could almost hear him growling under his breath with a deadly look on his face. His light amber eyes added to the animalistic impression he was currently giving off. Calder was a tall heavily muscled man, darkly tanned. He was clean shaven and had a strong stubborn jaw to match his attitude. Celena guessed that he was in his late forties if you went by his short bristling peppered gray hair. She vaguely remembered Allen saying that Calder hailed from Daedalus, a hot coastal country known for it's intricate puzzling inventions and toys and the deadly sword dances that Calder was acclaimed for. 

Raden, the Advisor, was just a plain wreck Celena mused. The poor old guy looked like someone had just taken his favorite baby blanket away. Celena stifled a laugh at the ridiculous thought. The things her mind wandered to when she was bored. 

Raden was more in his mid fifties, tall like Calder, but thin like a flagpole. His hair was still a dark brown, with only a few strands of grey shooting through, which made his dry parchment like skin even paler. His watery blue eyes held a sharp edge of intelligence. He grew a beard, which was customary of many of the higher merchants back in Asturia. What was so unusual about it though was how long it was. It almost reached his stomach and he actually braided the long strands of hair to keep them from flying all over the place. Celena remembered watching him a couple years ago eating soup. He had a peculiar habit where he would toss his braided beard over his right shoulder before he would eat.

Celena blinked in surprise as the undulating sphere of light suddenly flared and then dwindled away. It had been only minutes since the strange light swallowed up Van, Merle, Allen and Seiki.

As soon as the light had trickled away, Calder was on his feet snarling like a feral beast. Before Celena or anyone else could protest, he snatched Seiki by the back of her shirt and threw her almost halfway across the room.

Celena froze she watched Seiki, quickly adjust her mid-air flight so she would land on her feet. The momentum however was too much for her to handle and Seiki slid into the wall with a violent crash. If she had fallen on her head, her neck would have snapped in an instant.

The ring of steel echoed in the hall as Calder, relentless, started after Seiki with the intention of making sure she never moved another muscle for the rest of her life.

"Calder." Van's quiet voice stopped Calder in his tracks. "Don't harm her."

Calder swung around, mouth agape. Van shook his head, forbidding any comment and looked at Seiki grimly. Seiki was slowly pulling herself up, her loose hair clinging to her face.

Merle quickly ran over to help Seiki up, but Seiki refused to look at Merle or anything else except for the floor.

Van turned away from them and motioned to Calder to come back. He saw the question in Calder's eyes and said simply, "She's Hitomi's daughter."

Calder hesitated and then slowly nodded in understanding. He cast a quick look of concern at Seiki who stood motionless on the other side of the room.

* * * * *

Seiki shivered as she felt Merle gently support her as she stood. She couldn't quite feel Merle's touch and everything sound like she was underwater. She couldn't bring herself to look up, her mind still partway in the depth of her subconscious. 

Her mind sluggishly understood that she had to pull her mind completely out of her subconscious. Her last moments with her mother made it very difficult for her to leave. Emotionally Seiki felt completely drained.

If she could, Seiki would've been perfectly happy to stay in a coma.

She experimentally moved her hand. Little by little her senses became clearer and movement because quicker. The first thing she noticed was that her face was wet and her hair clung to her cheeks. 

The second was the pain stabbing in her side. She hissed softly as she pressed her fingers into her ribs. A fracture in her rib...maybe broken. She wasn't sure.

Her mouth twisted. Well there goes my pride too.

Seiki heard Merle inquire softly if she was okay. Seiki clenched her fist to her side. Who was she fooling? Apparently no one.

Seiki raised her eyes and met sienna eyes across the room. She clenched her jaw when she saw the look in Van's eyes. Confusion. Loneliness. Accusation. Hitomi was dead, Van was alone, and Seiki killed her in coming to Gaea.

She forced herself hold his gaze, enduring the maddening mixture of almost hatred. She straightened her back and gave back as good as she got. Bitterness. Loss. Denial. My mother forced me to leave her, she died before I could say goodbye, all because she wanted me to give a message to you. In the end it was all for you.

I hate you.

Van flinched.

Seiki could feel herself becoming cold. Her body was starting to quiver from the shock. Her heart felt like a block of ice.

"It's done." Her words dropped like falling icicles. She pulled away from Merle walked to the door.

* * * * *

"Where do you think you're going?" Van grimaced inwardly. It sounded incredibly pompous. What right did he have? Van mentally squashed the question. He made a promise and he refused to break it. He would keep his promise by any means possible.

Hitomi's daughter froze. Daughter. Gods, Van thought, she's almost the same age as me.

Seiki remained where she was, not looking back. "My job's done isn't it? I've delivered your precious message. I have better things to do now."

Van shivered at the lack of emotion in Seiki's voice.

So different from the girl he met only days ago.

"Are you going to look for your brother?" Allen spoke up suddenly.

Seiki glanced back at Allen. "Mother told you? I guess that doesn't surprise me. Yes, I'm going to look for Seiji. It's one of the reasons I'm suppose to be here." 

"No." Van couldn't allow her to leave. There was too much danger. 

Seiki turned slightly as she stared at him. "It's not one of the reason I'm here?" She asked flatly.

Van's lips thinned. "You know what I mean."

Allen gave Van a questioning look. "Van?"

"I made a promise. I intend to keep it." By any means possible. Van left the words unsaid, but Allen could practically see the words hovering in the air. Van walked over to Seiki, ignoring Merle's pleading glance.

"Seiki." She refused to look at him, opting instead to study the fascinating dragon carvings on the main doors.

"Seiki," Van repeated, "if I could give you a choice, I would. But I can't. I've received some disturbing news from an old...friend. Gaea's not safe to wander around alone, not now. If things settle down, I'll do everything I can to help you find your brother, but we have to wait until I get more news."

No response.

"Seiki, please understand that I promised to keep you safe. I intend to keep it."

Seiki finally turned to look at him. Her eyes looks like little chips of green glass. "A promise." Her gaze drilled into him. "I made a promise too. To my mother on her deathbed."

Van shook his head. "It's not the same thing."

"Oh, I see," Seiki laughed bitterly, "Your promise is worth more than mine?"

"I didn't say that!" Van shouted with frustration. Why did she have to twist everything he said? "I'm saying it's dangerous out there! You'll get hurt going out alone!"

"My father trained me since I was four years old. I can protect myself just fine. Do you really think I'd be stupid enough to go waltzing around, proclaiming myself "Mystic Moon Freak" while I go looking for my brother?"

"Seiki," Allen gently touched Seiki's arm before she could draw another breath to continue her rant. Allen glanced at Van, Raden and Calder, asking for their indulgence. 

"I have an idea that may help out." Allen held his hand out to Seiki, "Will you listen? That's all I ask."

Seiki hesitated, and with a frown slowly nodded.

Allen appealed to Van. "Let her prove herself." Seeing the outright rejection in Van's eyes, Celena hastily continued for her brother.

"Let her prove she can protect herself. If she can, what is the harm in letting her search? It would be cruel to keep her here while she knows her brother is out there, possibly in danger."

Van shook his head. "And just how is she suppose to prove herself?"

Allen raised an eyebrow. "Van, you have one of the best sword masters serving as your captain. Why can't Calder test Seiki himself?"

"What makes you think he would be fair in testing me?" Seiki asked skeptically.

"Life isn't fair. Real life situations don't care about cheating or disadvantages." Van pointed out coldly. 

Seiki looked at Calder, meeting the large man's stony gaze. "If I pass, I go free. If I don't, I remain here. Is that the deal?"

"Yes." 

"Fine."

Seiki yanked open the heavy door and walked out.

* * * * *

The slam of the door faded away in the hall. Merle looked worriedly at the closed doors, unable to decide whether or not to go after her friend. She glanced at Van.

"Van, I don't know if this is a good idea. Hitomi never said to stop her daughter from searching, but to help her from doing herself harm!"

"What the hell do you think I'm trying to do?" Van snapped at the end of his temper. "That stupid girl has no idea how dangerous it is out there! She'll end up getting herself killed and see how good that will do her brother then!"

Merle straightened in anger. "She's not a child, Van. She's more than capable of taking care of herself. You know that Van. It's not going to get you anywhere to treat her like she's a child."

Allen interrupted quietly. "And you're not her father either, Van."

Van spun around, his lips white with anger, his limited patience at its end. "What the fuck does that suppose to mean?"

Allen shook his head his blue eyes meeting fiery sienna ones. "Van..."

"Don't." Van gritted through his teeth. "I don't want to hear it."

Celena gently touched Van's arm. "Please you two, quit arguing like this. Van, I've never seen you this angry before. Can you both please put this aside until later? There are things that need to be done."

Raden spoke up, having finally gathered his senses and the situation. "Your Majesty, Calder will have to prepare for the Challenge, choose his tests and his men." He paused significantly. "And you, your Highness, will have to tell me what the hell is going on with Himura Seiki."

* * * * *

Seiki slammed the door to her room, deriving what satisfaction she could out of the loud crash it made. She leaned heavily against the door.

Mentally she indulged in a colourful sailor-like commentary about feral bodyguards and fascist kings.

Verbally, "Ah *bleep*!"

She slowly made her way to the bed, crawled onto it and then curled up in a fetal ball. She stared dully at the staff that lay propped up against the wall.

"Prove myself, huh?" she stared at the staff longer and felt a wheezy chuckle escape her. Was this surprise? Here Seiki had thought that she would be prepared for everything. The idea that she actually expected a society stuck in the middle ages socially to accept that she was capable of fighting like a man?

Seiki no baka...you're such an idiot! 

She laughed again and clutched her side as it complained about the fact that she was breathing. Gaea still has problems with women running around in pants! She laughed harder unable to stop, aware that she was sounding just a wee bit hysterical. Sucking in more oxygen might be a good idea. Slowly she calmed down.

Prove myself...god, how cliché. 

The irate thought set her off again. The knot of pain became more intense as she laughed herself into exhaustion. Eventually the laughter died and Seiki's eyes stung with tears. 

"Oh man...this is worse than PMS," she moaned softly, "I want to go home. Seiji, where the hell are you?"

She rolled onto her back and stared at the canopy above her bed. Unconsciously, Seiki started to chew her lip. She was curious about this Calder...person. Mom didn't mention him at all, but she DID mention Van's previous captain and mentor, Balgus. She frowned. Didn't he used to be one of the three great swordsmasters of Gaea?

Seiki bolted up and cursed silently when her ribs screamed bloody murder. Oh geez, didn't Allen say something about Calder being one of the three? She squeezed her eyes shut and carefully rubber her temples as she chanted *Why me Why me Why me Why me Why me* in her suddenly pounding head.

The knocking at the door yanked her out of her self-imposed misery and after she arranged herself on the unhurt side of her body she asked who was at the door.

"It's Merle, Seiki. Let me in?"

Poor Merle. She sounded upset. It was kind of strange that Merle would be so protective over Seiki considering the fact that her mom and Merle got along as well as cats and dogs. 

Hitomi once speculated that she was probably a dog in her previous life or something like that. Maybe Seiki had some cat in her.

Seiki figured whatever the case she should let her it. It wouldn't be good to upset Merle further by ignoring her. 

A mad Merle would be a baaaaad thing.

* * * * * 

"Ne, Seiki? Can I ask you something?" Merle watched as Seiki lazily toyed with the loose thread on her bedspread, as she lay sprawled across the immense bed.

"Mmmm? What is it Merle?" Seiki picked out a stitch, watching the unraveling string grow longer.

"Do you hate Van? For what he's done, I mean..." Merle fidgeted. Seiki had been withdrawn and quiet. As far as Merle could tell, not a flicker of strong emotion had crossed her face since Seiki had crossed tempers with Van.

"Done?" Seiki looked mildly surprised. "He hasn't done anything to make me hate him...yet." She pulled another stitch out. Okay, so she was lying. A big white lie never hurt anyone. She had an intense urge to shove His Majesty's royal crown in a place...gah, nevermind, don't go there.

Merle chuckled nervously. "You looked ready to eat him alive when he suggested it would be too dangerous for you to look for your brother." Seiki felt her heart shrivel into a tiny piece of minus-30-degrees-with-a-minus-40-degree-wind-chill-factor ice. Yes, there was THAT.

Seiki looked at Merle blankly as she fiddled with the thread. She licked her lips and said slowly, "I don't think Van can understand just how dangerous I can be." 

Merle shivered at the look in Seiki's cold green eyes. 

* * * * * 

Seiki struggled to keep her face smooth and impassive as she followed Merle towards the main practice area just past the army barracks. Sharp pains stabbed her with every breath she took, and she could feel her eyes start to water from the effort to keep her discomfort hidden. 

When Merle had left to room to allow Seiki to change into clothes more appropriate to a challenge, Seiki had tightly bound her ribs with a roll of bandages from her bag. It would help keep the swelling down a little, but if she pushed it too much...

There was no way in hell she'd give that *bleeping* king the satisfaction of knowing that she was hurting. 

Seiki shifted her grip on her staff and followed Merle around the corner where they passed under a large gate that opened up in the practice area. It was open air and spacious to allow the training of a sizable quantity of men at a single time, or several guymelefs. 

Van stood by Calder along with Allen. Beside them was a rack of swords and further down was a table with an assortment of different weapons that ranged anywhere from small daggers to a huge battleaxe. Raden and Celena sat in the seats just behind the weapons, quietly talking to each other.

On the field, about half a dozen men where sparring with each other. The clash of swords rang in the heated air along with the grunts of sweating soldiers. The far side of the field, a few more men were testing their skills in archery on wooden post targets. There were a couple of stray men running around the arena. One huffed and wheezed his way past Calder, who barked at him to pick up the pace.

Allen was the first to notice Merle and Seiki. He smiled a greeting, silent encouragement in his eyes. Seiki kept her eyes on the ground. She was still having problems dealing with the knight for some reason. It was like he was out of some cheesy historical romance about knights and princesses. Seiki winced inwardly. The guy IS a damn knight what the hell is she thinking about?

Van turned around and nodded to Merle. His eyes met Seiki's. "Are you ready?"

Seiki could feel her jaw clench. She couldn't understand why she was getting so worked up. Van asked a perfectly reasonable question. Oh, but it felt to her emotionally overworked brain like he was asking if she wanted to give up.

Gah, get a grip girl.

"I'm ready." Seiki felt proud of her steady voice.

Van nodded. "Calder?"

Calder hollered out a few names and dismissed the rest of the men from the field. "Art, Horus, Farell. Front and center."

One of the archery men came over, one of the swordsmen, and the runner that WASN'T gasping his way around the arena. Calder glanced over them and jerked his chin at the table and rack. "Pick your weapons."

Turning to Seiki, Calder paused to give her a hard look. Seiki returned his gaze knowing that if she looked away the man would brand her a coward before she even started. Calder nodded approvingly and proceeded to explain the trial.

"You will fight each of these men. Each will have a different weapon. You may have your choice of weapon against them. If you defeat all three, you will fight me. If you win, you are free to leave. Do you understand?"

Seiki watched the men pick out their weapons. The swordsman picked up the heavy battleaxe, the runner picked up the slender daggers, and the archer selected the sword. Sly old bastard, Seiki thought to herself. They were all playacting for her benefit earlier so she wouldn't know beforehand what their skills would be.

Calder waved a hand at the weapons. "Choose one?"

After one last look at her opponents' final choices, Seiki shook her head. "I've already chosen." She hefted the curved staff so Calder could see what she was referring to. Calder raised an eyebrow, studying the staff and then examining her face. Seiki guessed whatever he saw he liked because he grunted his approval and gestured the first man with the battleaxe forward.

"Art, you will begin."

"Wait." Van spoke suddenly. Calder glanced at him questioningly. Van held Seiki's eyes as he spoke. "All at once. Fight all three at the same time."

Allen protested, "Van, that's too much! All three and then Calder?" He stopped under the force of Van's glare.

"The world out there isn't fair, Allen. What if she's ambushed? People don't wait around for you to recover before they attack."

Seiki grimaced. Van was sounding like a broken record. She went back to studying her opponents while Allen gallantly attempted to argue for her cause.

The man with the battleaxe would be slower, and the easiest to avoid because of the weight of the weapon. The runner with the sword she would have to keep an eye on. He probably had more stamina than the other two, plus he used a fine blade. A lot lighter than the axe, and if a strike hit it would carve through her like soft butter. That wasn't something she would have to worry about though since she suspected Van would never forgive anyone for seriously harming her. Mother's orders. The swordsman with the daggers would probably try quick light slashes in order to distract her. She wasn't quick sure what they were trying to prove with their choice of weapons, but in the end it never mattered to her.

She mentally sighed heavily. Would have been more fun if they could have done something like jousting or whatever. Dragon hunting maybe? Nah, cruelty to animals, though meeting a true dragon would be kind of cool.

Seiki shrugged her shoulders and stepped forward. "Allen, that's enough. Don't worry about it. If His Majesty wants real life action, he'll get it." She strode to the middle of the arena and waited. 

A slight breeze tugged a couple hairs loose from Seiki's ponytail. She figured she should have probably braided it this time, but dismissed it as she watched the three men cautiously circle their way around her.

She swore she could hear the sweat fall off of the Advisor's face.

Seconds ticked by and Seiki could see that the men were unsure of where to start. They didn't want to hurt her, but they didn't know what she was capable either. They were roughly 50 feet away from her while they circle, measuring her stance and posture.

If they underestimated her, even a little, she would make them pay.

With a loud chorus of yells they attacked at the same time. Quickly, ferociously as they had been taught and trained to be. Seiki's eyes narrowed. They were holding back though. She could see it as they came toward her as they slightly staggered themselves in a way so they didn't fall upon her at the exact same moment. It wasn't enough to be obvious, but she could see it. That was all she needed. 

Two in front of her on either side and one behind her. The one with the daggers behind her was way behind the others by about a second too slow. He was uncertain and his aura radiated it.

Stupid. It was stupid to underestimate anyone with a weapon, even if it WAS just a really long stick.

Mr. Battleaxe charged forward, swinging the axe in a wide arc behind him. Swiftly, Seiki pivoted into Battleaxe, jamming the end of her staff into his midsection. A sharp twist of the staff, and the battleaxe spun into the air. 

Seiki could hear the singing of the sword in the air behind her. Swinging around, the staff met the steel of the blade. Seiki wrapped the staff around Mr. Swordsman's sword arm, reversing, and neatly tossed him over her shoulder. She quickly spun her staff behind her, batting aside a flying dagger, and smashed the staff into Mr. Dagger's jaw.

The battleaxe fell to the ground with an audible thud.

Déjà vu, Seiki thought vaguely to herself. Didn't Mom say something like this happened to Van? Pain tickled at her, eating away at the short burst of adrenaline. She forced her mind away from it and faced Calder. 

* * * * *

Celena sucked in a breath as she watched the battleaxe hit the ground. "Wow..." she breathed in awe. Merle shook her head agreeing silently with Celena. 

"She's fast. Really fast." Merle said and slid a glance at Van who stood off to the side with his arms crossed over his chest, Allen at his side. Raden had left the seats to join Van and to get a better view of the contest. Celena leaned over and whispered into Merle's twitching ear.

"Van doesn't look too happy."

Now THAT was stating the obvious. Van's lips were pressed so tightly together, Merle could see fine white lines starting to form. If he kept doing that, his face would turn as sour and wrinkled as an old man...or worse, like the Advisor. Merle sighed. You'd think he would at least be happy with the fact that Seiki could defend herself against more than competent men. The three soldiers that Calder had chosen were among the top of their divisions, no slouches at all.

Merle had a feeling that the soldier who threw the dagger was probably going to get a reprimand. If Seiki hadn't been up to the task she could have been seriously injured. Besides, tossing away your weapon like that in a non-lethal situation was incredibly…Merle searched in her mind for the word…dumb.

Allen ambled over to where the two girls were whispering to each other, leaving the other to men to wait for Seiki and Calder to commence fighting. Merle could see that some of the men who were in the ring earlier had begun to sidle back in to discretely watch the matches. The men were curious about the little girl who was challenging, and now knowing that some of their best had been beaten soundly, they wanted to see how she would fair against the great Calder.

Allen slid onto the bench with a faintly sardonic smile on his face.

"I'd thought I would join more amiable company. His Highness is getting a little...twitchy."

Merle raised an eyebrow. "Issat so? About what I wonder?" she drawled sarcastically. "Afraid that Seiki might actually have a chance to 'escape'?"

Allen eyed her warily, "Merle, there's no need for that. I don't agree with his tactics either, but maybe it's best to keep Seiki here. Van's told me a little bit about a letter Dryden wrote to him about some happenings near Zaibach, and it doesn't sound good. It's a good reason that Van's worried. If Seiki goes wandering over there looking for her brother, well..."

"It's wrong," Merle hissed trying to keep her voice down. "It's wrong to force her. I never thought I would disagree with anything Van would do...but this...this. Oh, she's Hitomi's daughter! Shouldn't we help, not stop her?"

Celena shrugged carelessly. "Well, getting worked up about all this won't do her any good now. If she loses to Calder, she'll have to keep her word." She leaned back, tossing her comment at her brother. "Say bro, what do you think Seiki's chances are against Calder the Great?"

Allen frowned. "All depends on his choice of weapon I guess. Seiki's staff gives her more reach and better mobility. And she strikes quickly and decisively too. I bet we haven't even seen a half of what she can do with that thing." He paused as he glanced at Calder who stood pondering the weapons. "She's using moves that none of us are familiar with."

Celena shook her head. "I can't believe she took them all out so quickly. They're practically twice her size! I think Art could probably bench press her weight several times over if he wanted too."

Allen agreed. "I know. The guys were holding back a little too much which is why Van wasn't too pleased, but even then she didn't give them a second to think about anything. I know Van doesn't want her hurt, but I don't think that little fight tested her the way he wanted." He glanced at the Chief Samurai as he stood by with Van.

"But if Calder should choose his sword, The Serpent's Tooth, he has no equal. Staff or no, Seiki would lose for sure, I have no doubt about that."

"Is there a reason for that?" Merle queried, worried.

Allen shrugged. "The Serpent's Tooth is a little different from your regular type of sword. It may be bigger than most swords, but it's also much lighter, but extremely tough and flexible. It allows Calder an extraordinary amount of speed and range of movement. And he's strong, incredibly so. Meeting one of his strikes, it's like meeting a brick wall. Remember how he tossed Seiki around when we came out of the light? If she doesn't stay out of his grasp he could very well do it all over again."

"Hmmmm, so that's the way it goes, huh?" Celena murmured. "Eh? What's Van doing?" Van had walked over to Calder and spoke urgently to him under hushed tones.

"I don't know." Allen muttered, his brows furrowing. Calder looked unhappy at what Van was saying. Van insisted and Calder finally nodded his head. Allen could feel the blood draining from his face.

He turned and met Celena's eyes. 

"He knows doesn't he?" Merle said in a dazed voice as she watched Calder select The Serpent's Tooth from the racks. "Van knows she has no chance against the sword? I don't believe this."

"By any means possible..." Allen said under his breath. His gaze wandered to Seiki to watch her reaction.

She stood casually with her weight on the staff she bore. Her eyes narrowed in interest as she watched Calder take a few brief swings with The Serpent's Tooth.

Calder loosened his muscles and then approached to where Seiki stood. He glanced back at Van who watched stoically, and then turned back to Seiki, nervously licking his lips.

Merle could feel the hair rise at the nape of her neck. "Something is wrong," she whispered furiously to Allen. "I've never seen Calder look nervous like that!"

Allen could only nod as he stared at the two combatants.

Calder roughly cleared his throat. "His Majesty has requested that you change your weapon."

Seiki raised a slender eyebrow. "Oh, he has, has he?" she replied coolly. Her face remained impassive. To Allen, it looked like her face was carved out of ice.

Calder bowed his head slightly, breaking eye contact. "He has chosen the First Blood match. Swords will be both our weapons."

Merle tugged on Allen's shirt urgently. "Allen, did he say First Blood?"

Allen nodded, not knowing what to say. First Blood would be the perfect way for Calder to test Seiki's true extent of her abilities without causing her any serious harm or injury.

Celena asked, "What's a First Blood match?"

"First Blood is normally reserved for honour matches...duelists if you like. It's usually for those among the knights who have a quarrel with one another and have something to prove or were disgraced somehow. The first to draw first blood wins the match and his honour."

Merle's mouth hung open, completely aghast. "And Van REQUESTED this?"

Allen gazed back at the king. "Apparently so. It will give Calder a chance to test her abilities without causing her undue harm. In the end it won't matter much though. She probably can't even use a sword, much less the ones we have here. They're heavy for one who hasn't trained with them. For Calder, wielding The Serpent's Tooth is like waving around a feather."

Merle made a noise that sounded like something between a hiss and a yowl. "Oh, when we get out of here, I'm going to..." Merle's sheathed claws came out as she shook with anger. "Imagine stacking the odds against Hitomi's daughter of all things!!! She won't have a chance!"

Celena let out a nervous giggle, and gently patted Merle's hand to encourage her to resheath her claws. "Please Merle, calm down. Allen said that she won't get hurt. We have to see this through..."

Seiki looked up at the sky, the faint breeze tugged at her hair. "A sword, huh?" she whispered and closed her eyes. 

Calder coughed. "Ahem, yes. We have swords on the rack. You may choose one to your liking."

Seiki lowered her eyes and met Calder's. She smiled faintly. "I see."

"Seiki, you must win this match by drawing first blood in order to 'pass'." Calder said softly with a look that could almost pass for regret.

The smile faded and Seiki raised her voice to carry across the field to reach the king. 

"If you think I'm stupid enough to try swinging around those crude things, forget it your Majesty." She shifted slightly so she addressed the king directly. "But then, you knew I couldn't wield one of those swords, didn't you? After all, I told you that myself."

The accusation hung in the air, and no one even breathed much less say anything.

Seiki shrugged. "It doesn't matter though, your Highness." She shifted the staff in her right grip and with her left hand twisted the head of the staff. There was an audible click, the sound of metal rasping.

Seiki stood with a long slender curved blade in her hand. Taking the staff/sheath, she jammed it into the ground. She looked up at Van, and gave him a chilling smile.

"I have my own."

* * * * *

Allen almost fell off the bench when he saw Seiki pull out her sword from her staff. "She knows how to use a sword?" he choked out.

Celena frowned as she studied the fragile looking blade Seiki now carried. "I dunno Allen. Do you think that puny little sword can handle Calder's? Looks like a toothpick compared to The Serpent's Tooth."

Allen sighed. "I don't know. I guess we'll see huh?" He watched as Calder and Seiki circled each other warily. In a blink of an eye Calder attacked, sweeping The Serpent's Tooth in a back arc. Seiki met the strike with the clash of her own sword fading back to lessen the power of Calder's stroke and disappeared.

Allen hissed. This was the same unbelievable speed they had witnessed in the hall. A shout, and he looked up to see Seiki twisting high about Calder. Calder swiftly turned to meet her and again they locked swords as she fell towards him.

With a grunt Calder deftly turned and heaved Seiki back. Seiki lightly landed on her feet and then both charged towards each other, Calder matching Seiki's speed.

Celena watched in awe as sparks flew where metal met. "I've never seen Calder move so fast! They're incredible." Seiki pivoted around wielding her slender sword in a lethal slash which Calder countered catching the blade with the hand guard of his sword. The metal screamed a long and torturous wail. Seiki quickly shifted her weight reversing her momentum, not allowing Calder to disarm her by flipping her sword away.

With a cry, Seiki changed her stance, sword facing down. "DO RYUU SEN!" The blade carved out a large rivet in the ground and launched large chunks of earth flying at Calder. Calder roared, and countered, his blade slashing the projectiles out of the air and choked in surprise when what seemed like invisible hands punched him in the gut.

Seiki took advantage of his momentary surprised to attack again, but she underestimated Calder's strength. He recovered quickly to handle Seiki's quick thrust and redirect it.

Breaking apart, they stood staring each other, breathing slightly heavier than when they first started. There was a faint gleam in Calder's eye, a look that Allen was almost sure to be approval. 

The men were shifting about, muttering amongst themselves in disbelief. There were very few in Gaea who could match swords with Calder, and this small slip of a girl was not only holding her own, but managed to somehow place a few strikes. Her technique was so incredibly foreign in its speed and dexterity Allen could see that even Calder was surprised that she was matching swords with him.

They came together again, swords singing in the air to collide in a cacophonic symphony. Allen should see Seiki slide her sword to carry the momentum of Calder's thrusts instead of meeting them head on. Even she could see that she would be no match to Calder's strength. Seiki pivoted out of the clash intending to bring her sword up from behind. Calder was quick enough to see her intention and like a snake he twisted, bringing the hilt of his sword down between the back of her shoulder blades and driving her to her knees.

With a grunt, Seiki desperately swung her sword up to meet Calder's strike, barely holding The Serpent's Tooth an inch away from her face. She was tiring quickly, much faster than she was used to, as Calder's strength and power was so much more immense than hers. The shock that she had met someone with such incredible skill had worn off. The pain her side was now a constant misery, making her want to scream every time she moved. She slid the sword's edge along Calder's to redirect it and reversed her momentum so she somersaulted back out of Calder's reach.

Allen found himself standing along with Merle and Celena. Seiki looked exhausted, and something seemed to be paining her as she fought to keep the Serpent's Tooth from nicking her in any way.

The men were standing, cheering every time the swords met in a loud raucous roar. Allen found it difficult not to cheer for the obvious underdog.

Standing about 20 feet away from each other, Seiki could see beads of sweat popping up along Calder's forhead. Other than that, it was the only sign he was even exerting himself. If the Do Ryuu Sen affected him at all, he probably had a couple bruises along his ribs, but nothing too serious. 

It's been so long since Seiki had fought someone who could match her, much less surpass her. It forced her to a higher level than her normal training, and her body was punishing her for it. She also had to deal with the fact that Calder's technique, though vastly different from her own, matched her speed and battle aura.

Seiki bit her lip. She had to hold back the Do Ryuu Sen so it wouldn't do any serious damage. She was sure that Calder could probably handle even her full out strike, but she couldn't take the chance of another accident happening like the LAST time.

Seiki sucked in a breath when a twinge jabbed at her again. She needed to finish this now. With her injury she wouldn't have enough strength to finish this fight if they continued on like this.

As she stood she shifted her sword so the lethal side was turned in, the unsharpened edge faced out. It was time to end this. Her heart hammered in her chest like a wild animal trying to get out of its cage. A nameless fear too slippery for her to grasp slid around in her mind. 

She sped towards Calder, ducking his first strike and with a sharp pivot she twisted her body as she leaped her sword screaming a path in front of her. "RYUU KAN SEN TSUMUJI!" She felt the blunt edge of her sword connect a mere second before she felt an awful tearing in her side and a stinging pain on her right hand.

With a wordless cry, Seiki fell to the ground.

* * * * *

"Seiki!" Merle shouted out the same time Allen and Van did. They ran out onto the field where Seiki lay crumpled. Calder was not too far away on one knee clutching his side. He looked up ruefully when Van came to his side.

"Well, Your Majesty, it looks like you got what you wanted." He glanced at Seiki and the thin cut on her hand. "First blood." 

As Calder stood he winced in pain, to the alarm of Van. He waved the king off and shook his head while he laughed in a wheezy sort of way. "Little spitting cat. I think she broke a couple of my ribs."

They both turned when they heard Seiki heave out a rusty chuckle. "I'm only returning the favor, kind sir, for breaking mine this morning." A concerned Merle and Celena carefully helped Seiki sit up. 

Seiki carefully shoved her loose hair out of her face and wagged her scratched hand in Calder's direction. "You couldn't even leave me an interesting scar could you?" She snorted in disgust. "This puny little scratch won't even leave a mark."

Calder started to laugh a deep belly laugh out of sheer exhaustion before his broken ribs caused his laughing to sputter out. "You, my dear, are entirely too young to carry around battle scars. Besides your hand was the only place I could reach with that twisty thing you did at the end there." He grinned ferally. "I must say I'm VERY impressed. A little thing like you able to keep up with me. It's been a long time since I've had an INTERESTING match like this."

Merle, Celena, Van, Allen and Raden stood around the two former combatants in utter disbelief as they watched Calder and Seiki joke and laugh while they clutched their hurting ribs. The soldiers were milling around, talking excitedly with each other about the incredible fight they witnessed. 

Merle threw her hands up in disgust. "That's it. Enough is enough. We have to take Seiki back to her rooms so I can bandage up those ribs of her. Seiki, I can't believe you! How could you accept the fight when you knew you were hurt! Allen can you lift her?"

"Gah!" Seiki shrieked as she scooted away from Allen and winced when her side protested against the rough treatment. When she caught her breath again she held up her head. "S'okay. I can walk. If you can drag my staff over here I can use it to lean on a little." She slid an apologetic glance at Allen. "No offence Sir Allen, but I don't like to be carried."

Allen inclined his head to accept her muted apology and went to snag the staff that stood a little ways to the side.

Once Seiki had her sword resheathed and maneuvered herself into a standing position, Merle and Celena started hustling Seiki back to her rooms.

"Seiki," Van's quiet voice stopped all three of them. "Please remember your promise."

Seiki glanced over her shoulder her countenance glacial enough to make Van feel like his tongue was cleaved to the roof of his mouth.

"I always keep my promises. Best you remember that...Your Highness." 

  
  
  


_Author's Notes: For those unaware of it, the Do Ryuu Sen and Ryuu Kan Sen Tsumuji are techniques of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu style that Himura Kenshin uses in the anime/manga Rurouni Kenshin. Seiji and Seiki would be Kenshin's great grand children as Kenshin was living at the time of the Meiji Era in Japan at the end of the 1800's._

[ Interlude I ][1]

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[_The Prophecy_'s Chapters Page][3]
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_The Prophecy_, original artwork and links © Melinda Ho 1999-2001. All rights reserved.   
The Vision of Escaflowne title, names and characters © Hajime Yadate and Shouji Kawamori.   
This fanfiction also includes parts from the anime/manga Rurouni Kenshin, all characters and references to it the property of Sony and Nobuhiro Watsuki.   
_The Prophecy_ is a fanfiction, and is not for sale or profit and for personal use only. Do not distribute. 

   [1]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/escaflowneinterludeIf.html
   [2]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/escaflowne.html
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   [4]: mailto:trademmho@home.com



	9. Interlude I

The Prophecy: Chapter 7

**The Prophecy**

**_A Vision of Escaflowne Fanfiction_**

The standard disclaimer: Yeah, okay I stole these characters from the marvelous creators of The Vision of Escaflowne...and Rurouni Kenshin too. Yadda yadda yadda. Please don't sue me ^_^ The main story line is of my own delusional imaginings. Yadda yadda yadda. Please do not distribute. Thanks. 

**The Twinned shall fall from the Sky.   
A Broken Land shall rise again;   
Vengeance and Hunger as Guidance.   
The Wheel of Fortune turns.   
Feathers tipped in Blood;   
The Dragon's Sword forged in heated Battle.   
Thy Kingdom's Heart it shall possess.**

  


**Interlude I" **

Seiki was NOT feeling good. She could feel her whole body start to quiver as she stared at her reflections in the three-way mirror. She could feel the seamstress poke and prod at her with measuring tapes and pins.

She figured that she was probably still in shock since Merle gave her absolutely no time to think after they bandaged her up. All she wanted to do was lay down, feel like she was dying for a little while and wallow in self-pity for her poor abused ribs. 

Ah, but the aggravating cat-woman had other plans. 

After enduring about a half and hour lecture, Seiki was whisked away to the seamstresses for a fitting of a new dress. When Seiki tried to protest, the look Merle gave her positively made her cringe.

"Not even a word from you! How could you scare me like that? And not say one word to me that you got hurt earlier? If anything you OWE me! You're coming to the dinner and no...don't say anything or I'll shred all your clothes!"

Seiki felt her mind growing numb as she saw the seamstress pull out the frills. Oh god, she whimpered to herself, frills...I can't handle frills.

She watched Merle's reflection in the mirror as Merle discussed colour palettes with the stupid woman. Merle seemed oblivious to the fact that the very idea of frills was causing Seiki to have an intense migraine. Instead, Merle seemed to think it was a good idea to up the ante and give Seiki a heart attack as well.

"Oh Clarissa, I think the ribbons would look fabulous on her. The green to pick out her eyes, but pink would look so sweet on her..."

Ribbons?

"AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!"

* * * * *

Van looked up from his papers when he heard a high-pitched wail echoing along the halls outside. Puzzled, he glanced over at Allen who was leaning back in his chair with an amused expression on his face.

"Sounds like someone is torturing a cat or something." Van commented casually.

The ambassador's smile grew.

"I believe Celena mentioned something about taking Seiki in for a fitting."

Van blinked as he digested the new information. He shuffled some papers and picked up his pen. 

"I see." He paused. "Kind of like kicking an injured animal, isn't it?"

Allen shrugged. "Well, Merle was rather pissed off, wasn't she?" 

"Yup. Ah...I see."

Van scribbled something on a sheet and then stopped again. He shot his companion a sheepish grin.

"Remind me never to piss Merle off."

Allen laughed.

[

Chapter 8   
"Revelations II" 

][1]

Back to   
[_The Prophecy_'s Main Page][2]
Back to   
[_The Prophecy_'s Chapters Page][3]
E-mail Me!   
[ trademmho@home.com][4]

_The Prophecy_, original artwork and links © Melinda Ho 1999-2001. All rights reserved.   
The Vision of Escaflowne title, names and characters © Hajime Yadate and Shouji Kawamori.   
This fanfiction also includes parts from the anime/manga Rurouni Kenshin, all characters and references to it the property of Sony and Nobuhiro Watsuki.   
_The Prophecy_ is a fanfiction, and is not for sale or profit and for personal use only. Do not distribute. 

   [1]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/escaflowne8f.html
   [2]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/escaflowne.html
   [3]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/chapters.html
   [4]: mailto:trademmho@home.com



	10. Chapter 8 - Revelations II

The Prophecy: Chapter 8

**The Prophecy**

**_A Vision of Escaflowne Fanfiction_**

The standard disclaimer: Yeah, okay I stole these characters from the marvelous creators of The Vision of Escaflowne...and Rurouni Kenshin too. Yadda yadda yadda. Please don't sue me ^_^ The main story line is of my own delusional imaginings. Yadda yadda yadda. Please do not distribute. Thanks. 

**The Twinned shall fall from the Sky.   
A Broken Land shall rise again;   
Vengeance and Hunger as Guidance.   
The Wheel of Fortune turns.   
Feathers tipped in Blood;   
The Dragon's Sword forged in heated Battle.   
Thy Kingdom's Heart it shall possess.**

  


**Chapter VIII "Revelations II" **

She knew she was dreaming. Everything around her had a surreal quality that made it feel like she was moving extremely slowly, her arms and legs feeling too heavy. 

She found herself walking through the hospital corridors to where her mother had been staying. Vague afterimages trailed eerily behind the people rushing by her. The walls were an unhealthy white, made all the more stark by the sickly green florescent lighting. She could taste the astringent medical scent that permeated everything that existed in an institution such as this. 

God, she really hated hospitals. Both Mom and Dad had been in them, and to her it seemed like once someone went into that place of the damned, they would never come back out alive again. 

What a depressing thought. 

She turned the corner, heading towards the open door of her mother's room. She paused when she noticed nurses hurrying in and out of the entrance, and the voice of her mother's doctor inside, barking orders frantically. The heart monitor screamed in a high, monotonous wail. 

She peeked into the room. The doctor had that contraption in his hands, the one they used to zap the hapless patient with a zillion volts of electricity to get the heart pumping again. 

The nurses were jabbing needles into her mother's flaccid arm, in time with the song of flat lining. The doctor yelled out "Clear!" 

Waking with a muffled shriek, Seiki bolted into a sitting position on her bed. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute, her ribs throbbing in pain and her nightshirt soaked in a cold sweat. There was a sour taste in her mouth, a disgusting reminder of her nightmare. 

"Oh god," Seiki muttered to herself, as she frantically rubbed at her tearing eyes. Her hands were trembling and she could feel her throat constricting while her short breath was coming out in painful gasps. 

She buried her face in her hands and cried. 

* * * * * 

Van threw down his pen in disgust and sat back in his chair. He stared up at the ceiling blankly. Then sitting up, he suddenly messed up his hair with both hands. 

"FUUUUUCCCCCKKK!" he drew out the curse in frustration. Falling back into the chair, he moodily stared at the pile of paperwork on his desk. 

Van had spent most of the night awake, memories of Hitomi torturing him and filling him with so many regrets that he lost count after fifty. He was up at an obscenely early hour going through paperwork he hated simply because he could find no rest. 

He still couldn't believe that Seiki was Hitomi's daughter. Eighteen! She was fucking eighteen years old! Van squeezed his eyes shut. His mind was in chaos. 

_You're not her father either, Van._ Allen's comment floated around in his head, not allowing him any respite. 

Had so much time on the Mystic Moon passed that he became really only a tiny part of Hitomi's life? That she was able to find another man, become his wife, bear his children and then die? That she would have born a daughter that was as beautiful and intelligent as her? And _eighteen_! 

Van shuddered. He had tried to analyze it, explain it, take everything apart and try to put it back together again so he could see what made it tick. Regrets? Maybe. He wasn't the one who gave Hitomi the love she craved or the children she wanted. Seiki was not his daughter. 

She should have been. 

So wasn't he just trying to make up for those regrets? To make good on the promise he made Hitomi to protect her daughter from harm? 

He FLIRTED with her. How could he possibly call that "protection"? Never mind the obvious fact that he flirted with her before he knew who she was. Shouldn't there be some gut instinct to warn people about these things? Van knew he didn't know much about women. They were puzzles he could never understand and never tried to decipher. 

But he wanted to get to know Seiki. 

She was Hitomi's daughter. 

And Hitomi was gone. Gone. 

His grief wouldn't let him forgive himself. 

Bile rose in his throat as he struggled to come to terms with that knowledge. He knew that Seiki hated him right now for preventing her from leaving Fanelia in search of her lost brother. He had felt it in the audience chamber, an icy cold wall slamming up between them effectively cutting off any chance of any relationship whatsoever. 

Van heaved himself out of his chair and started pacing in little squares of light that fell through the balcony window. He didn't know what to feel about Seiki. She intrigued him, baffled and utterly exasperated him. He had never been very elegant in speech, and the way she twisted his words and turned them against him frustrated him to no ends. 

He stared out of the window in misery. How could he possibly find the words to explain to Seiki why he did what he did? Especially since he could barely explain it to himself. 

Pride. He knew his pride was tied up in this somewhere. He could remember in every painstakingly humiliating detail the countless times Hitomi was there to save him. So many times she saved him, until the need to save HER consumed him. Even though she didn't want or need to be saved. 

Hitomi's daughter didn't want to be saved either. 

Van caught himself grinding his teeth together. Watching Seiki mop the floor with his best men only added salt to the wound. Even with her inexperience and injury she made the men's defeat look easy. Both Allen and Van realized the fighting potential she had when she fought with Calder. It was a bitter pill to swallow seeing such a small young woman do something very few men could even claim attempting. She held her own against one of the greatest sword masters in Gaea. 

Why couldn't she be like a "normal" damsel-in-distress? 

Because she probably wouldn't be half as interesting, he thought to himself sourly. Life would be so much easier if he would just be satisfied with some brainless blue-blooded little twit who had more looks than anything else. 

* * * * * 

After crying hard enough to feel like she tore her heart out, Seiki slid out of bed to head to the washroom. As soon as her feet touched the floor she felt herself slip boneless to the ground. Her knees felt like water and she was shaking like one of those miniature dogs that had no fur. 

Painstakingly she pulled herself back onto her feet and slowly minced her way across the room, finally reaching the washroom after what seemed like eons. As she vigorously brushed her teeth, she wondered where the heck she would get more toothpaste when her tube was finished. She had a sneaking suspicion that she wouldn't be able to pick up a tube at the local market. 

She could only thank the nameless gods that they invented indoor plumbing since Mom's last visit. 

There was a knock at the door. 

"Who is it?" Seiki croaked out. Her voice was toast. 

She made a face in the mirror. Cripes, she really looked like something the cat dragged in. Her eyes were still a little puffy, but she could just put it down to the lack of sleep. Fingering her droopy hair, she caught a whiff of herself and wrinkled her nose in revulsion. She so needed a bath right not it wasn't even funny. 

"It's Merle and Celena." Merle's voice was barely audible through the thick wooden door. 

"Just a sec." 

Making her way to the door, Seiki took one last swipe at her tired eyes. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door. 

And promptly fainted, falling to the floor in a limp heap. 

Standing in the doorway, Merle held out a long pink dress, obscenely decorated with white lace and frills. Pink satiny ribbons adorned the bodice in quaint little bows. 

Glancing at Celena, Merle commented dryly, "Wow, that was a better reaction than I thought I would get." 

Celena shook her head. "You're a cruel woman, Merle." 

"I know. Isn't it wonderful?" 

* * * * * 

Van looked up from his papers when he heard the door to his study open. Allen's blonde head poked in. 

"What's this? Have you been testing some new herbs or something? Why are you working on your birthday of all days?" Allen sputtered incredulously. He opened the door wider and ambled in. 

Van sighed and leaned back in his chair. He motioned to Allen to close the door behind him and ran his hand through his mussed up hair. 

"Couldn't sleep a wink last night, so I thought going through this stuff would help keep my mind off things." 

"Uh huh," Allen grunted as he studied the Fanelian King. "You know, you look like crap. Your Advisor is going to have an apoplectic fit if he sees you like this." He glanced at the time piece on Van's desk. "You need to change. Chid will be arriving soon and though I know he doesn't care what you look like, there's no need to offend his entourage. Something clean and neat. We'll go down to the barracks after. Calder asked me to do some demonstrations for the troops. Perhaps we can give them a show. At least this way, you'll have an excuse for not looking your best." 

Van shrugged and pushed himself away from the desk. "What the hell. Sounds like some fun." Crossing the study and heading for the door to his bedroom, he glanced back at Allen. "Do you know what the girls are up to this morning?" 

"I think they had some idea of torturing a poor little kitten with ribbons and frills." Allen said casually. "Merle really does have a sadistic streak in her, I must say." 

Van pulled off his shirt and threw it onto his bed. He opened his closet and pulled on a crisply cut black shirt that allowed him to move around freely. He frowned at his closet. There was a lot of black in there. "Are you sure it's not just PMS? Merle can get really bitchy then. I usually just send her some chocolates and then she goes roaring out to do some hunting." Van rooted around for a pair of comfortable pants. Raden had been scandalized when he discovered that his King never bothered having servants dress him. Van took his privacy very seriously and had told his Advisor that he was perfectly capable of dressing himself. He pulled out a pair of black pants and grimaced. Not like his old clothes at all, but they would have to do. Not much of his old wardrobe survived under Raden's fashion tyranny. 

Allen raised an eyebrow. "Van, if you think that's all there is to a woman's emotional state of mind, it's no wonder you know so little as you do about women." 

Van snorted as he grabbed his sword off where it was mounted on the wall. "Now you just figured it out? For years I never had to think about anything like that. Had a country to rebuild remember? Not like I had the chance to learn any of the social graces or learn how to woo the women. I can't figure them out at all." He opened the door out to the hallway, pausing to wait for Allen. 

Following Allen out, Van closed the door behind them. "Besides, I hadn't really met anyone I was interested in." *Until now* Van left the thought unsaid. 

Allen sighed. "You know that you can't afford to live in ignorant bliss, right? Do you think it's coincidence that Raden managed to invite practically every available blue-blooded women in all of Gaea to your birthday?" 

They walked down the long corridors, the early morning sun casting long shadows through the large windows. Van waved off Allen's question irritably. "I may be stupid when it comes to women, but I'm not completely senile. I know I need to marry, Allen. I don't need you to remind me too." 

Allen chuckled. "I'm not saying you're senile, Van. But we both know that you should have married a long time ago. Even Chid is looking for a consort, and he's a good decade younger than you!" 

They walked in silence for a bit before Allen spoke again. 

"Are you thinking about Hitomi?" he asked quietly. 

"Gee, how did you guess," Van said dryly. He ran his hand through his hair. "I'm having trouble absorbing everything she told me. I still can't believe she's...gone." His fist clenched around the sword he was holding. "Only six years. In only six years, she lived a lifetime on her world." 

Allen winced. "Look, at least we know that she was happy. All we have to do now is make sure we keep our promises to her." 

"Easier said than done," Van muttered. "Seiki doesn't want to be saved." 

Allen eyed Van warily. "Who said that we had to save her? We're just here to make sure she remembers that she has help." 

"I'm just trying to do what's best for her, Allen." Van responded harshly. He ground his teeth together briefly and tried to calm down. Still reeling from his nightly contemplations he found it hard not to be defensive. 

"I'm not saying that you aren't, Van." Allen said. He shook his long blonde hair. "You just have to remember that she's not going to see it your way, okay? She's worried about her brother can you blame her for that? I know that if Celena went missing again, I would go crazy trying to find her again." 

They both stopped in front of the doors to the courtyard. Allen stared hard at Van. "I think you should have a talk with her when you have the chance, Van." He held up a hand to stall Van's protests. "No, I'm serious. It won't do any good for your conscience if you alienate her this way. Try and make her understand some of the dangers that you told me about. If you don't try and bulldoze her sensibilities, she'll listen to you." 

"I'm not even going to bother asking how you know all of this, Allen." Van mumbled as he pushed the doors open. 

Allen laughed. "I'll tell you something, my friend. You may never get to the point where you 'know' women, but you will get to the point where you'll understand at least some part of them. You just need to get used to them, that's all." He paused thoughtfully. "You know, if Seiki is anything like Merle and my sister...she's going to be as easy to figure out as those mind boggling puzzles made in Daedalus." 

Van cringed. "Oh shit." 

* * * * * 

"Seiki...Seiki. Wake up woman. It's not THAT bad!" Seiki groggily opened her eyes, and Merle's face swam into focus. She let out a horrified shriek when she saw Celena standing off to the side holding the offending piece of frilly fru-fru that started her whole fainting episode. She scrabbled backwards until she felt herself smack into the post of the bed. 

Merle glanced over her shoulder indifferently. "Oh that ol' thing. You thought we were going to make you wear that? Don't be silly. Clarissa is just putting the final touches on your dress and will bring it up in a bit." She scowled down at Seiki's cowering figure. "You're a mess! This is going to take all day to get you cleaned up for the dinner! We're going to have to get Yana to help out...and bring our stuff too." 

Celena tossed the obnoxious dress onto the bed and then leaned over Seiki to help her up. "Seiki, you look like hell, didn't you get any sleep at all?" she clucked. 

Seiki groaned as she straightened into a position somewhat resembling a homosapien upright position. "Geez, you guys have a *bleeping* twisted sense of humour you know." 

Merle flashed a feral grin. "Yes, and you best remember that." She glared at Seiki. "Don't you ever pull off a stunt like yesterday on me again, Seiki." 

"If this is the result of it, you have my word." Seiki responded weakly. "I don't have the constitution to stand up to having my wits scared out of me every morning." 

Celena laughed. "That exactly what my brother said when he found out that we were the ones who left this dress in his room." She poked Seiki in the ribs. "Though I have to say that your reaction was a lot more dramatic than his." 

Seiki bared her teeth. 

"Bite me." 

* * * * * 

There were a lot more men in the large arena this time around. Calder wanted to increase the time the men were training in case the news that Dryden would bring was not good. It also wasn't difficult for Calder to pick up on the fact that Van was "displeased" with his top soldiers efforts during Seiki's challenge. 

There were approximately a hundred men lined up in ranks who were going through sword drills. These hundred men comprised of Van's elite personal force, the Samurai Ganesha (1). Since today was a celebration on behalf of Van, the common troops were allowed the day off to enjoy the festivities, so only the elite force remained on the castle grounds. Calder had told Van the previous evening that the Ganesha were jumping at the chance to have one of the most famous Caeli Knights do a demonstration for them. 

The young soldier, Horus, was leading the drills. He was the one with the sword who challenged Seiki. Art, the biggest man on the whole field by far, stood a little ways apart, training with his battleaxe. He was one of the few who could wield the much heavier axe as easily as Horus could handle the sword. So Calder had decided to single him out and intensively trained Art with the massive weapon. Both Art and Horus were of the dozen men that Calder commanded who operated the melef force that protected the castle. 

"Your Majesty, will you spar today?" Chid zar Freid, the Duke of Freid, asked as they watched the men practice. "It's been a long time since I've seen you fight." 

"Too long, Freid." Van said, smiling. "And call me Van," he chided, "I won't have formality between friends." He mentally shook his head. Chid was the spitting image of what Allen would have looked like in his youthful days. Unusually tall and lithe for an eleven-year-old, Chid displayed none of the awkwardness that boys at his age tended to display. Unlike Allen, the young Duke kept his blonde hair severely short because of the hot and humid weather in Freid. 

"Only if you do the same and call me Chid." His blue eyes sparkling, Chid turned to Allen. "Allen, it's been a long time as well. I look forward to your demonstration. Who will be your opponent I wonder?" 

It was like seeing double, Van mused to himself as he watched Allen banter with Chid. The Duke even carried himself with the same grace and self-assurance that the Ambassador did. 

"Your Majesty." Van turned to see Calder striding towards him. 

"Calder." Van paused, assessing his Chief Samurai. "How are the ribs?" 

Calder grinned sheepishly. "A tad sensitive, your Majesty. The little one packs a wallop, even when she's pulling the punch. I'm only grateful she decided to hit me with the wrong side of her blade. If she didn't, she would have had more than just First Blood. I would have been spitted like the pig they're roasting for your banquet." 

Chid spoke up enthusiastically. "Some of the soldiers here were talking about the young woman that your Chief Samurai sparred with, Van. They seem to think that she's something special." 

Van hesitated as he glanced at the amused expression on Allen's face. "Yes, I suppose she is something special." 

"I don't suppose that we'll get a chance to see her spar?" Chid asked curiously. 

Allen chuckled as he pulled out his sword, nodding to Calder. "No, unfortunately she's been somewhat incapacitated. She's nursing rather sore ribs as well." He took a few warm up strokes with his blade. "You'll get a chance to meet her this evening though, if Merle has anything to say about it." With a flourish of his arm, Allen motioned to Calder. "So, my good man, shall we dance?" 

Calder grinned. "So we shall, Ambassador. Good thing I'm not at my best, or I would crush you." 

Van leaned back again the railing and watched as Allen and Calder circled each other, lightly testing their swords against each other. Chid stared thoughtfully at the pair before turning to Van with a concerned look on his face. 

"I hate to bring this up, Van, but did you receive a missive from Drydan?" 

Van nodded grimly. "Yes. I'm assuming that the news disturbed you as much as me." 

Chid sighed and ran a hand through his short hair. "Though I was much younger, I still remember very well what war was like. It's not something I want to think about, if you know what I mean." Van grunted in agreement. "There were so many lives lost...I can't imagine having to go through that again." 

Chid glanced back at the dueling pair as he heard a shout go up. Calder had won a controlled strike, a small rip appearing on the left side of the Ambassador's sleeve. Van had to remind himself that the Duke was only eleven. So incredibly young, yet having experienced the death of his father at the age of only five, the title of Duke had forced Chid to grow up quickly. 

The Duke turned back to Van. "Will Drydan be here for the celebration?" 

Van shook his head. "No. Drydan said he wouldn't be able to make it. Some delay at the port he's leaving from. He said that he would probably arrive a couple days after. You're free, of course, to remain after the party. That way the both of us can sit down with Drydan and find out what news he has for us." 

"That sounds best." Chid said soberly. "If you don't mind putting up with our convoy until then, it would be much appreciated." 

Van clapped a friendly hand on Chid's shoulder. "Think nothing of it, Chid. You know that you're always welcome here. At least this way, we can wait together for Drydan." 

* * * * * 

Seiki heaved a sigh. Just *watching* Merle run around was exhausting. Merle wasted no time the second she saw the pathetic condition Seiki was in. 

Yana, the cook, was summoned to bring what Merle and Celena needed to prepare the three of them for the evening. According to Merle it would take all the time they had to get Seiki ready in time. 

Seiki had a sense of incredible strength behind the larger woman. She had fairly light brown hair that was starting to gray and a pair of marvelous warm chocolate brown eyes. Her rotund face was lovingly carved with laugh lines and everything about her seemed warm and cuddly. Seiki remembered someone telling her that cooks with potbellies indicated that they were excellent at what they do because it showed that they enjoyed eating food. 

Now, of course, just because warm and cuddly was Seiki's first impression, it didn't mean that it couldn't be changed. 

Yana took one look at Seiki and headed straight to the bathroom to prepare a bath. Once the bath was ready Yana came back out to grab Seiki by the scruff of the neck. She clucked over Seiki while she dunked her into the tub like a straggly puppy. Seiki shivered despite the heat of the water as she surfaced. She did NOT want to mess with Yana. She had the strength of TWO Calders! 

"Ah child, we can do so much with you! Of course, the Fates would decree that you would be the perfect slob!" Yana chastised. She shook her head in dismay when she examined Seiki's calloused hands. 

"You're just as bad as that one," the cook muttered, jutting her chin at Celena who was brewing some mud-like paste in a bowl. 

Celena grinned. "Haven't you figured out that I'm not a lady? I only have to look like one." She walked away chuckling. 

After vigorously washing Seiki's tangled hair and dunking her once again, Yana picked up her dripping, disgruntled charge. 

Seiki sighed again as the cook manhandled her into a towel and robe. 

"Yana, I thought you were suppose to be the cook. Don't you have the dinner to worry about?" 

"Don't worry about that, my dear. I have plenty of help." Yana hummed as she started swiftly detangling Seiki's wet silver hair. "Besides how could I pass up the opportunity to play dressup with the girls? Reminds me of the old days when I used to play with my dolls. I would have such fun shaving their eyebrows and plucking their curly eyelashes." She laughed at Seiki's terrified expression. "Aren't you a sight! I'm only pulling your leg!" 

"Along with other things," Seiki muttered and winced as Yana hit another snag. Merle and Celena came into the bathroom with a tray of bottles, jars and boxes, and plunked it in front of Seiki. 

Seiki's green eyes widened in horror. "NO! There's no way!" 

Celena shook her head. "Seiki, relax. We won't use that much, I don't even use that much. A little makeup isn't going to turn you into a twit if that's what you're afraid of." 

Merle smiled diabolically as she picked up a jar. "Besides, my dear, you're outnumbered." 

* * * * * 

There was a gust of wind before the swords clashed together. Van could feel the vibrations travel to his grip and quickly spun away from his opponent, Allen. 

They were both out of breath and sweating like pigs. Neither noticed as they continued to slowly circle each other, eyes intent and seeking out any weaknesses in the other. 

Allen lunged and Van responded in kind, their swords locking and holding each other in a test of strength. 

There was a burst of applause and feminine twitters. The two men stopped and slowly turned towards their spectators, and to Van's utter horror, as small contingent of young noblewomen had gathered to watch the new Ambassador spar with the King. Raden, Van thought, as he ground his teeth to help to control his temper. Did the man have no sense of boundaries at all? 

"Your Majesty!" Van groaned silently as he recognized the exasperated voice of his Advisor. Hurrying into the arena in his rather cumbersome robes, Raden wrung his hands in distress at the obvious disheveled state of the King. "Look at you! Your Highness, what are you doing out here? You haven't even started getting prepared for the dinner!" 

Van raised an eyebrow and glanced over at Allen who stood to the side with a bemused expression on his face. "Isn't it my birthday, Raden?" 

"But, of course it is," Raden sputtered, "but that doesn't mean you should run around with your clothes in THAT state..." 

"Advisor," the tone in Van's voice brought Raden up short, "do not task me over something as trivial as my clothes while I'm seeing to the training of my own men. Was this your idea?" Van indicated the clustered group of silly women who were now flirting with the soldiers and batting eyelashes at the oblivious Ambassador. "If it is, I'm not amused." 

"But your Majesty," Raden protested. 

Van walked swiftly up to his Advisor. Startled, Raden took a step back when he saw the fire banked in Van's sienna eyes. "Raden, I understand the need for a consort, but I will NOT tolerate your little games when I'm trying to secure the immediate safety of my kingdom. *Do you understand me, Advisor*?" 

Stepping aside, Van nodded to Calder as he spoke to Raden again. "I will be up shortly to change for the dinner. We just need to wrap a few things up. Now if you please, escort these ladies out." 

As Raden hustled the reluctant women out of the arena, Allen ambled over to Van with a smirk of his face. "Van, you've learned to lie rather well." 

Van looked at Allen with an innocent look. "I have no idea what you mean. I didn't lie." 

Allen laughed. "No, not lie...maybe just stretched the truth a little. Who said your Advisor needed to know that you were here for fun too?" 

Van stared at him soberly. "Don't say 'fun', it's an evil word." 

The arena echoed with their laughter. 

* * * * * 

Seiki hesitated in front of the main entrance to the dining room. Merle stopped when she realized that her reluctant charge was no longer beside her. She turned back to find Seiki standing and staring at the open doors of the room. Merle could feel a smile starting to turn the corners of her mouth up. 

Seiki looked absolutely stunning in an ephemeral sort of way. The seamstress had discovered an amazing translucent rainbow silver material that glittered and shimmered softly under the multifaceted light of the chandeliers. What Merle loved best was Seiki's large green eyes that they enhanced with smoky grey kohl. They decided to keep Seiki's hair simple, keeping it down, with only the upper part of her hair braided like a crown. The unusual silver of her hair struck a picture of crystalline beauty that reminded Merle of the sculpture that she had given Van for his birthday. 

Though, Merle could bet that not a single person would suspect this delicate woman was hiding a foot long blade strapped to her thigh under her gorgeous dress. Seiki had refused to leave the room without a weapon of some sort. 

As they walked through the doors, Celena took in the stiff expression on Seiki's face. She looked like a frightened animal caught in the stare of bright lights, wanting only to bolt but finding that she wasn't able to move. Celena glanced at where they were to be sitting and suppressed a groan. 

The Basram President's sister, the beautiful Lady Jessa Kestral, was sitting across from where they would be, along with two of her highborn cronies. What did Van call her now? The bitch from hell? Celena struggled to keep the distaste from her face. Eighteen-year-old Lady Jessa was as exceptionally beautiful as her brother, Kerr Kestral, was handsome. They both had the same rich mahogany dark hair and striking hazel eyes. But where Kerr's eyes reflected the warm amber of compassion, Jessa's were cold and calculating. 

That was one girl with high ambitions, thought Celena with disgust, her sights set firmly on the King of Fanelia. It was rather obscene the way she drooled after the handsome young king, and Lady Jessa usually made life miserable for anyone she thought would be competition. 

Celena remembered when Merle told her about the poor beautiful girl that Jessa tricked into entering Van's private gardens. Maria was the daughter of a thane from the outskirts of Austuria. Jessa had the gentle born woman convinced that the private gardens were accessible to all, and that she would be free to look for the Fanelian King within. It had happened only days ago, while Merle was away on her shopping trip, which was superb timing by Jessa. Yanna had been outraged and immediately informed Merle when she returned from Egzardia. But it was too late, and to the Basram Lady's unholy satisfaction, the young woman was permanently banned from the castle's public gardens and events. 

Merle was determined to make sure that the ban on Maria's family would be lifted, unfortunately the timing was horrible and trying to find a moment of time with Van was impossible. It would have to wait until the festival was over and Merle could sit down with Van and explain the situation. 

Celena was also sure that Lady Jessa would eventually get what was coming to her. It was only a matter of time, if Merle had anything to do with it. 

It was too late to warn Seiki of the hideous cow. Celena reached over and squeezed Seiki's arm in reassurance while she caught the eye of Merle and sent her a warning glance. Merle checked out their dinner companions and a dangerous glint entered her eyes. 

* * * * * 

A monotonous litany of panic ran through Seiki's head. 

"God, I hate this, god, I hate this, god I hate this..." 

* * * * * 

"Well, well," Lady Jessa raised one finely shaped eyebrow over a cool hazel gaze. "What did the cat drag in?" Jessa's minions twittered over the thinly veiled barb. Merle could remember a time when Jessa had tried to shmooze up to the only person the Fanelian King considered as family. Although Merle adored Kerr, she quickly let Jessa know that she could see through her little manipulations. 

Jessa still tried to become part of Van's inner circle by her own means...mainly her brother, but Van jealously guarded his private life and found it difficult to mask his distaste for Kerr's sister. Jessa remained blind and her obliviousness infuriated Merle to the point that their hostilities became open warfare. Merle learned to avoid any of Jessa's friends, as they were a shallow, hateful lot, interested only in furthering their own ambitions. Jessa, in turn, would offer nothing but contempt to those associated with Merle. Fanelia and Basram had both learned to disregard them. 

Merle ignored Jessa completely, opting instead to address Basram's president. "Kerr, darling, how are you? It's so nice to see you though I won't bother saying the same for your sister." President Kestral took Merle's hand and gallantly kissed it to smother the chuckle that came at the expense of his maligned sister. When he managed to school his face into polite propriety, he straightened and turned to Merle's companions. 

"You have met Celena Schezar before, haven't you? She's Allen's sister." Kerr murmured his acknowledgement. "This is Seiki. Himura Seiki is the daughter of Kanzaki Hitomi." Kerr's eyebrows shot up and he studied Seiki a little more carefully. The young woman still hadn't looked up and was in fact standing with a peculiarly dazed expression on her face. The poor thing looked like she was hoping something big would swallow her up and put her out of her misery. She had an air of fragility and light about her with her pale colouring and iridescent dress. 

Jessa glared at Seiki contemptuously. "The girl from the Mystic Moon? What a laugh. If she's anything like her mother, than we know she has no refinement at all." 

An evil smile slowly spread across Merle's face. "Well then, since Hitomi was the Van's Beloved, we know that he wouldn't be interested in someone refined like you, now would he?" 

Before Jessa could retort, Kerr quickly squeezed her arm in warning. Unperturbed, he met her ferocious scowl. 

"Best watch who you malign, dear sister. Hitomi's memory is more sacred than the private gardens." Kerr's voice was heavy with implication, making Jessa realize that her brother was very aware of her past conduct with the earl's daughter. Jessa shut her mouth in embarrassed anger, a faint blush prettily colouring her cheeks. 

* * * * * 

As Van entered the room, everyone erupted into good cheer. The young king was a masterpiece, courtesy of his Advisor. Beautifully tailored black mandarin collared suit with red and gold embroidery on the edges and cuffs, Raden had opted for the casual elegance that seemed to suit the practical king's tastes. A beautiful flying dragon was embroidered around the Fanelian symbol in the same red and gold on the left side of Van's suit. In Van's dark hair, an understated, simple gold circlet was pressed against his forehead. 

Let the men envy and the women drool. 

All eyes were on King Fanel, except for one pair. Seiki stared steadily down at her feet, concentrating all her effort on staying in one spot and not bolting at her first opportunity. She didn't even realize when Van entered the room and sat down at the head of the table until she felt Celena discreetly tug at her arm when they prepared to sit down. 

* * * * * 

Van toyed with his food as he pretended to listen to Allen and Chid's conversation with Basram's president, Kerr Kestral. Van usually found their conversations entertaining, but today his attention span was about the size of a pea. 

President Kestral was only 28 years of age, the youngest president ever elected in his country. Kerr's hazel eyes had a twinkle that expressed the man's appreciation for a good laugh. He oozed charisma, even more so than Allen and yet was also intelligent and honest, characteristics that Van valued highly. The president was one of the few leaders that Van enjoyed spending time with and it was even better the fact that Basram was one of Fanelia's closest neighbors. Basram, one of the fastest technologically growing countries in Gaea, was another reason why Fanelia was able to rebuild so quickly with the wide spread use of electricity, plumbing and agricultural machinery. 

It really was too bad Kerr didn't have the coordination for swordwork. The president was amazingly inept at learning arts to defend himself with, and he would often joke about his two left feet. Ladies who danced with him would sacrifice their feet for the privilege. 

Van glanced to where the girls were sitting. Merle and Celena were impeccably dressed, and those who were unaware of their reputations would have never suspected what hoydens they truly were. Merle, who was sitting next to Chid, was trading verbal sword strokes with whom he liked to call "the bitch from hell", Kestral's sister. Not like he would actually say that to the Lady Jessa's face since she was one of the many noblewomen who waited in hopes of forging an alliance with the King of Fanelia. Even so, there was no way in hell Van would tie himself up with the "shrew". 

Between Merle and Celena sat Seiki in her shimmering glory. She literally took his breath away. And she looked just about as miserable as Van felt. The desire to simply slid under the table and quietly crawl away was plain on her face and seemed to provoke Basram's sister's contempt. Politically speaking, Lady Jessa was extremely adept at picking out when a person was uncomfortable. 

"Whatever makes you think that a silly goose like her would be able to find her brother out there? The mere idea is absolutely preposterous." 

The girl had absolutely no tact though and at her maturity level was probably better at making war than diplomatic maneuvers. Van wanted to strangle her for mentioning Seiki's brother. He studied Seiki carefully and noted the change in her face as it went from misery to a smooth expressionless mask. 

* * * * * 

If there was one thing that Seiki knew for certain, it was the fact that she knew she wasn't imagining things when she thought she hated dinner parties. She could literally feel each of her individual brain cells die off as each minute passed during the excruciatingly long and drawn out dinner. 

She was very careful to keep her utter boredom and confusion from her face, especially after what that stuck-up *girl* said about her mom. Merle had been trading insults with the Basram lady for the last couple of hours, most of which Seiki had lost interest in quickly enough. 

Dinner was pretty good, but most of the food she ate she barely tasted. She only ate because she noticed the worried glances that Celena and Merle occasionally passed her way and each other. 

There was the sound of someone tapping glass. Seiki slowly roused from her self-absorption and looked up. Van stood at the head of the table with a hand raised to signal that he wished to say something. 

_It looks so arrogant._ Seiki stifled the irate sense of annoyance. The man was a king and used to wielding authority. Just what did she expect anyway, the guy next door? 

"I would like to express my gratitude in having you all here to celebrate my birthday. I'm honoured to have you here. Although our dinner is near it's end, the festivities will have only just begun. Outside the castle in the town square, the people of Fanelia have started a festival in my honour. You are all welcome to join us in celebrating. Please, everyone, enjoy yourselves!" 

Van's announcement was greeted with laughter and applause. Merle grabbed Seiki's arm in excitement. 

"I love festivals!" Merle was grinning so widely, it made Seiki wondered if cat people ever developed laugh lines. Van indicated his departure, and then catching first Seiki, then Merle's gaze, he tilted his head, gesturing them to follow. 

With Celena in tow, Merle and Seiki followed the king out of the room. Seiki speculated if there was a possibility that she had a problem with authority or something, because she couldn't completely squash the resentment that surged inside. She felt like a trained puppy, jumping to its master's commands. 

_Get a grip, girl._ It didn't take a genius to figure out that she had some issues right now. 

Allen followed up behind them and closed the door. Van turned to Merle and coughed in his hand. "You all look…um…fabulous. Did you enjoy yourselves? I sometimes wonder if I should have you and Lady Jessa separated sometimes." 

Merle raised an eyebrow. "Of course I had a miserable time! And why would you want to separate us? Who else would provide dinner entertainment?" She laughed as Van unsuccessfully disguised the twitch of his mouth. "Honestly Van, you don't like these dinners any more than I do. Though you don't have much of a choice about having dinners, you don't have to let Raden plan them to go on so long!" 

Van waved a hand irritably. "You try reasoning with him then, Merle. He's the whole reason why I dress the way I do now." 

Merle snorted. "You know that he likes me as much as I like him. Which isn't much at all." 

Van suppressed a groan. "Look, whatever. Take Seiki and Celena down to the festival. I'm sure you'll have much more fun there." He flicked a quick look over at Seiki before looking away. "And take Art here with you." He nodded to the giant man that stood quietly by the doors. 

Merle looked at the soldier and then frowned at Van. "Isn't he one of the men that Seiki defeated?" she whispered. 

Seiki thought that Van was starting to look a little harassed. The little muscles in his jaw were starting to jump. "Merle, appearances please. I know that Seiki may not need an escort, however, for appearances sake, could we just not make it an issue?" 

Seiki felt a little sorry for the soldier, since it wasn't as if he couldn't hear Merle and Van's conversation. There was nothing really worse than hearing people talk about you…right in front of you. 

She studied the cropped light hair, the big bushy eyebrows, the soft features of his face and mischievous gray eyes. She supposed he could put on a really scary face if he wanted too, but for some reason Art reminded her of a cross between a Viking and a really big teddy bear. He was the man who used the axe against her in the challenge. He was good, but not on the same level as Calder. She hoped that she didn't cause the man any grief for losing to a woman. She hated being the source of angst since it always brought more trouble than it was worth. 

Before Merle could protest, Celena jumped in, grabbing the soldier's arm and dragging the door open. "Why don't we just go? Art? Let's go have some fun." 

* * * * * 

The main archway doors of the castle slowly opened and before Seiki's eyes the world became a swirl of multi-coloured lights and sounds. The center of Fanelia was filled with celebration, vendors and games dotted the sides, the sounds of laughter in the air as Van's people danced to lively tunes. 

Merle squealed as she spotted the vendor that sold candy floss, dragging Seiki and Celena with her. Art followed behind, his large frame easily making room for himself. Seiki's face changed the instant they had hit the square, relaxing from its stoic expression. Art mused at how much like the King she was, uncomfortable with the formal events but much more comfortable in the company of close comrades. 

As the girls headed back toward him, Seiki held out an extra cone of candy floss. With a twinkle in her eye she handed it towards her unofficial bodyguard. 

"Enjoy," she said with a grin. 

Mouth open half way to protest, Art watched as the girls turned away to head towards the goldfish games. Candy floss! Since when did 'men' eat something as silly as this? He stared down at the little piece of fluff in his large hand and then at the back of Seiki's silvery head. Pulling off a chunk of candied cloud he experimentally stuffed it his mouth...and smiled. 

* * * * * 

President Kestral wandered around the vendors with the Ganesha soldier, Horus, trailing behind with several of his comrades. Van asked Kerr to go ahead, needing to attend to a few things before joining the celebrations in the city below. Jessa had left with her female companions in disappointment that she would not be accompanying his Majesty to the festivities. Kerr didn't have the heart to tell her that Van probably wasn't interested in doing so. He wasn't blind not to see that Van would rather be in a nest of vipers than with his contrary sister. 

Kerr could appreciate Van's preference for the simpler things in life. Perhaps that was why they got along so well. Although Basram was the leader in technology development, the president himself never cared for the flashy lifestyle. The basic things such as electricity he could appreciate as they helped improved the way his people lived. He didn't, however, believe in his predecessor's interest in warfare weapons, and after the end of the Great War and the assassination of the old president, Kerr had the research for the Energist bomb and other like weapons sealed or destroyed. 

The Basram president paused at a small stall that offered sweet confections, among them his favorite, caramel coated apples. Did he dare? 

The voices of ladies came up behind him. Stepping back, he allowed the ladies to go ahead while he wrestled with his momentary indecision. 

"President Kestral," Startled he met Lady Merle's familiar mischievous gaze. Behind her, the Asturian Ambassador's sister, Celena, and Van's mysterious guest, the silver haired Seiki, bantered playfully with their bodyguard. 

"Lady Merle, it's wonderful to see you. We didn't get much of a chance to talk at dinner." 

Merle laughed delightedly. "Kerr, darling, if your sister wasn't such a bitch, you would have heard more than the regular cat talk." 

Before Kerr could laugh at the apt remark about his sister there was a light touch on his arm, startling him for the second time in as many minutes. Glancing to his side, Kerr's amber eyes widened as he saw a caramel apple being held out to him. He raised his gaze, arrested by a pair of amused green-leaf eyes. 

"You were staring at them with so much longing you reminded me of how my brother looked when he saw something he couldn't have." Seiki said apologetically. "You have the same puppy dog look." 

The soldier with the ladies let out a guffaw. "Milady, I have a feeling that if you could you would feed sweets to every man who fears for his reputation, you would." 

Eyes round with innocence, Seiki stared at Art. "I have no idea what you mean. I just have a soft spot for big, dumb animals." 

"I hope that you don't think of me as dumb, Milady." Seiki turned back to Kerr with a dazzling smile, which made him blink twice. 

"No, you only have the privilege of reminding me of my brother. And my name is Seiki, not 'Milady'." She waggled the caramel apple. "Are you going to take it or not?" 

Kerr stared at the apple and then mused, "Only if you have one as well, if only to save my trampled manly reputation." The young woman seemed completely different from the silent creature present at the dinner. He heard rumors from the barracks concerning the mystery guest, but didn't have the chance to talk to Van about it to see if they were true. 

Seiki searched the expression on the president's face and then laughed. "Men must be truly deprived if they can't freely appreciate the sweet things in life." She took Kerr's hand and gently deposited the apple on a stick into his grasp. Turning to the seller, she asked for more apples and proceeded to give one to both Merle and Celena and then one to each of the good humoured soldiers that stood around them. 

As she handed the last apple to Art, he laughed at her. "Milady, I'm going to be stuffed like a pig by the time you're through with me." 

Seiki rolled her eyes at the soldier. "Art, how many times do I have to tell you my name? Where you guys get the idea I'm a lady at all is beyond me." 

Art grinned. "It's merely an address of respect, Seiki. Besides, after you kicked my ass earlier, I don't want to get on your bad side." 

Seiki raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Well, than call me by my real name and I won't have to beat you up again," she said archly. 

Merle squealed again and grabbed Seiki's arm and started dragging her towards another stand. "I want that stuffed dragon! Seiki, you have to help me win it!" 

Kerr and Celena chuckled as they watched the two ladies hurry over to the ring toss. Kerr twirled the apple on a stick between his fingers as he spoke to Celena. "So the rumors I hear from the soldiers are true then?" 

Celena smiled demurely. "Which rumors?" 

"The ones that say Van's mystery guest held her own against Calder the Great." 

"Ah, those ones." Celena pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Yes, they're true. It probably would have been more interesting if she wasn't injured to start with." 

Kerr frowned. "Injured?" 

Celena shrugged. "Her ribs were cracked from a...um...previous incident." 

"And the details being?" Kerr eyed the Ambassador's sister speculatively. 

"The details are something you'll have to ask the King for, my dear president." 

"Ah, I see." Kerr gazed after the pair throwing rings. "Your companion seems to be a contradiction of personalities." 

"Not really." Celena shook her head. "She just blooms in different situations, that's all. Being in the same room as your sister doesn't seem to suit her very well." 

"Yes, Jessa." Kerr heaved a sigh. "I'm hoping that someone will offer for her hand. As much as I love her as my flesh and blood, her crony ways I find less appealing." 

"She wants Van." Celena put in bluntly. "She'll never have him, you know. I think Seiki would probably have a better chance and right now she can't even abide being in the same room as him." 

Kerr laughed. "This is why I like to be in Fanelia. The women here are so honest, I don't have to worry about people lying to impress me." 

They both turned as they saw Seiki and Merle coming back to them, the cat woman waving around a ridiculously plump, stuffed dragon that had a silly tongue sticking out the side of its mouth. 

When the pair reached them, Kerr plucked the cute dragon out of Merle's hands to look at it. Merle beamed proudly and patted Seiki's shoulder. "She got all the tosses so she was able to pick out whichever prize she wanted." Winking at Celena, she said, "Any of the prizes are ours for the taking with Seiki by our side." 

"You would think that you guys were planning to take over the world from the way you're talking." Kerr's hazel eyes twinkled with suppressed mirth. 

"Whose to say that we aren't?" 

* * * * * 

It was getting late, the night already turning into the wee hours of the morning. When Van had finally managed to arrive at the festival, the local people surged and eddied around their king and his guards, eager to show off their marvels and share their enthusiasm. Trying to talk to Van would have taken more effort than any of the girls were willing to expend, tired as they were. 

Merle and Celena both insisted that Seiki should turn in, both seeing the exhaustion in her green eyes. Along with Art, Kerr offered to walk with Seiki back into the inner walls of the castle, admitting that he was wiped out as well. 

Seiki smiled tiredly at her offers for escort. Gently patting Art on the arm, she said, "Go ahead and have some fun, Art. You didn't get to see any of your friends while you were babysitting me, and since the president has decided to retire as well, we should be fine." 

Art opened his mouth to protest. "At least let me walk you to the gates. Once you're inside, I don't have to worry as much because there's the guard on watch." 

Before Seiki could refuse, Kerr nodded his head. "Seiki let the man do his job. You may not need the protection, but I can assure you I'm not as adept at protecting myself as you may be." Seiki raised an eyebrow and studied Kerr's expression, unsure if the man was joking or serious. 

Art tried not to grin. "You see?" he appealed to Seiki, "At least the President shows some sense and understands my position. Women!" 

Seiki stuck out her tongue at the big soldier as they started walking towards the gates. When they reached it, Art waved to the soldiers standing above to open the gates. Before Kerr and Seiki went through, Art nudged Seiki in the arm. 

"Just so you know, feel free to come and visit us down at the arena. The guys would love to see you down there and maybe give some of us guys some pointers! And when you and Calder recover from broken ribs, I'm sure the two of you would enjoy having another go at each other." 

Seiki smiled. "Sounds like fun, big guy. I'll keep the invitation in mind." 

"You do that." Art waved goodbye as he jogged back towards the festivities. 

The two went through the archway and felt the doors close behind him. The inner courtyard was blessedly quiet compared to the revelries outside. They walked a way before Kerr spoke. 

"Is your brother the reason why you're so angry with Van?" 

Seiki stilled, the open look on her face becoming guarded. "What makes you think that I'm angry with the King?" 

"Although you may hide a lot through that masque of yours, the lack of reaction says a lot about your current feelings towards your host." Kerr frowned as they paused in front of the central fountains. The fountains were lit up softly, the water in the surrounding pools that lay sprawled around the fountains, glittered with reflective light. 

Seiki didn't say anything, but instead bent down and took off her shoes. Hiking up her skirts, she stepped up to the ledge of the fountains and walked into the cool water. She looked up and grinned at the man who seemed more like the guy next door rather than the president of a powerful country. 

"Do you usually provide yourself as a confidante to complete strangers?" Seiki asked casually as she walked through the shallow waters of the pool toward where the central fountain shot up in the air in a graceful arc. 

Kerr chuckled and wandered to the other side of the rising fountain and looked intently at the slender girl across from him through the cloud of fine mist. 

"If people are willing to talk, I'm always willing to listen." Kerr replied. "It's refreshing to be able to talk to someone who is frank." 

"And someone who will talk to you like you're not some big shot world leader." Seiki finished. 

"Yes." He said simply. He watched Seiki splash around before he sat down on the ledge and started taking off his shoes and socks. Seiki laughed in surprise as she watched him solemnly roll up the hems of his pants before wading in after her. 

"Are you very close with your brother? Celena mentioned that you're looking for him." 

Seiki didn't respond at first, making Kerr think that perhaps he had overstepped his boundaries. 

"We were...very close, once." Seiki looked up at the Basram president's serious face. "I haven't seen him for over a year and we parted on very bad terms. I'm not sure how things stand between us anymore." 

"I see. I'm sorry to hear that." 

Seiki looked back at him thoughtfully. She climbed out of the pool, shaking the excess water off her feet. She padded towards the gardens barefoot before Kerr had enough sense to follow. Quickly snatching his shoes and socks, he hurried after the eccentric girl into the maze. 

Seiki walked through the maze quickly, not really caring where she went. Her mind flashed back, reliving the wonderful, painful memories her brother evoked. 

Her and her brother used to have a way of knowing what each other were thinking without having to say anything. They were so different, their personalities, but he was her whole world. 

Whatever he did, she wanted to do with him. Seiki couldn't stand to be left behind. Seiji has always been bigger, stronger, smarter. People flocked to him because he had that magnetism that drew people to him. It was hard for Seiki to keep up sometimes, but even when she fell, Seiji would always stop and help her up. 

Her father ran a dojo where Seiki came from. He taught different forms of martial arts like kendo and staff. What most people didn't know was that he was also a master of an old sword fighting technique call the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu. He refused to teach it to his students because the technique in itself was extremely deadly and powerful. It wasn't something that could be passed down to just anyone. 

Seiki and Seiji's great grandfather, Himura Kenshin was originally the last master of the Hiten Mitsurugi and never passed down any of his techniques. But his son, Kenji, was somewhat a genius and was able to recreate and perfect the techniques simply by listening to the stories that were told to him about his father's great battles.(2) He passed those same techniques to his son, Seijuro. 

When Seiki was five, Seijuro had chosen Seiji out of the two children to teach the old style to. He didn't want Seiki to learn the technique because since she was a girl he was afraid that she would get hurt. The training was extremely harsh and required a lot of endurance and strength, both of which Seijuro believed Seiki didn't have enough of." 

Seiki was very upset to be excluded from something that she knew would take up much of Seiji's time and energy. She couldn't stand the idea of not being with her brother; he was everything to her. After all, she only five, he was all she knew. 

Seiji knew how his sister felt, and begged their father to allow Seiki to train as well. If they did it in a certain way, their dad could be a real soft touch, and the effect of his two precious children begging together was too overwhelming for him to resist. 

So Seijuro trained his daughter too. He wasn't too happy about it. It was strange, because even though Seiki wasn't as good as Seiji in school or other things, anything that her father taught her in the dojo, it came to her as easy as breathing. Seiji was good too, but Seiki didn't know if they ever knew how good they were because they'd always be careful not to hurt each other when they sparred. 

A year or so ago, Seiji and Seijuro got into a huge argument. They wouldn't tell Seiki what the argument was about, but she knew it was about her. Seiki could see it in Seiji's eyes when he came to meet with her to spar. When they fought, it was different from any other time they ever sparred. Seiji didn't hold back." 

Seiji pushed at Seiki's command because he came out with no restraints. Seiki wasn't able to hold back at all. Whatever restraint she had to prevent herself from causing any harm went right out of the window because she never had to fight full out before. All those years of training, always holding back, she was never able to discover how to handle her full capabilities. She was always too afraid that she would hurt her brother. 

She lost control in that fight with Seiji, and slipped, cutting Seiji right across his chest. She shouldn't have been able to touch him at all because they should have been evenly matched. Seiji disappeared the next day. 

Seijuro tried to find him. Three days after Seiji disappeared, their father got into an accident while searching for his son. The doctors tried to save him, but his head injuries were beyond help. He slipped into a coma and died the fourth day Seiji was gone. 

Seiki's mother was an absolute wreck. In less than a week, both Hitomi's husband and son were gone. It was just the girls now. Seiki tried to help out where she could, but it just wasn't enough. Her mother fell deathly sick over the last year, and eventually had to go to the hospital. She made Seiki promise to try and find her brother and told her that it was part of her destiny. Seiki had no choice but to go because she was sent away by her own mother's dying will. 

By the time Kerr caught up with Seiki, she had paused in a small clearing where there were benches and a small pool of water. The Moons reflected brightly in the still pool, almost mirror like. 

"You never met my mother did you? The one they call the King's Beloved?" 

Kerr shook his head. "No, I never had the pleasure. I was in Basram during the war stuck behind a desk. I'm afraid I'm not much of a fighter." 

Seiki knelt by the pool and touched the water, making ripples run across the moons. "My mother died alone, so I could find my brother." She looked up at Kerr as he stood there, moonlight in his hair. "Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" 

Kerr sat down heavily on one of the benches and stared at Seiki's crouched outline. 

"Yes. I think I do." 

Seiki stood, the shadows marking the angles of her face in a grim, determined light. 

"I WILL find my brother, even if it's the last thing I do." 

_Author Notes:_

(1) Ganesha is the last name of Van's previous Chief Samurai, Balgus. Ganesha is also the Hindu god of destruction. (Information from the Escaflowne Compendium)

(2) At the end of the Rurouni Kenshin manga series, there are some notes made by Nobuhiro Watsuki about Kenshin's son as he grows up. Kenji (Kenjiro) is indeed the name of Kenshin and Kaoru's son. Watsuki describes Kenji to be as brilliant as Shishio and as twisted as Saito (or was it the other way around?), which makes for a very eccentric grandfather for Seiki and Seiji. I had a translation and site where this was at, however, it's disappeared and most of my notes are from memory. So if they're a little off or if someone can find those translations for me again, please let me know.

Upcoming Chapter 9   
"The Fallen One" 

Back to   
[_The Prophecy_'s Main Page][1]
Back to   
[_The Prophecy_'s Chapters Page][2]
E-mail Me!   
[ trademmho@home.com][3]

_The Prophecy_, original artwork and links © Melinda Ho 1999-2001. All rights reserved.   
The Vision of Escaflowne title, names and characters © Hajime Yadate and Shouji Kawamori.   
This fanfiction also includes parts from the anime/manga Rurouni Kenshin, all characters and references to it the property of Sony and Nobuhiro Watsuki.   
_The Prophecy_ is a fanfiction, and is not for sale or profit and for personal use only. Do not distribute. 

   [1]: http://dragonmmho.tripod.com/escaflowne.html
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   [3]: mailto:trademmho@home.com



	11. Chapter 9 - The Fallen One

**The Prophecy**

**_A Vision of Escaflowne Fanfiction_**

* * *

The standard disclaimer: Yeah, okay I stole these characters from the marvelous creators of The Vision of Escaflowne...and Rurouni Kenshin too. Yadda yadda yadda. Please don't sue me ^_^ The main story line is of my own delusional imaginings. Yadda yadda yadda. Please do not distribute. Thanks. 

* * *

**The Twinned shall fall from the Sky.   
A Broken Land shall rise again;   
Vengeance and Hunger as Guidance.   
The Wheel of Fortune turns.   
Feathers tipped in Blood;   
The Dragon's Sword forged in heated Battle.   
Thy Kingdom's Heart it shall possess.**

  


**Chapter IX "The Fallen One" **

The wind was blowing, stirring up tiny sandstorms in the corners between lean-tos. A pair of small twins, a boy and girl, ran barefoot in front, squealing and laughing as they chased each other, their dirty little faces lit up in a moment of delight.

A slender cloaked figure walked, purposefully, through the dusty paths of this village that looked like it had seen better days. The adults were not around, working industriously not too far away in the mines that lay beyond the dunes, leaving the task to watching of young ones to the elders too weak to toil below in the mine shafts. 

The figure stopped and the wind teased a wisp of long, pale hair from beneath the hood before pushing back enough of the fabric to reveal the face of a young man. He absently scraped the stray lock out of his eyes. His face, though still young, seemed tired and older than it should. His leaf-green eyes betrayed wisdom and knowledge hard-won and burdensome. 

The little girl screeched as she neatly avoided her brother's grab and ran smack into the cloaked visitor. Wary, she quickly stepped back, her brother standing beside her to make sure she was okay. Underneath black messy bangs, her bright blue eyes stared woefully up as she popped her comfort finger into her mouth.

A smile appeared on the man's face as he regarded the pair of children. He reached down and ruffled the little girl's hair, nodding to the brother. The boy grinned back, recognizing the visitor, and then tugged his sister back, out of the way. 

"Fallen One," The man turned around with a slightly irritated look in his face.

"Musalen." He acknowledged his companion with bad grace. "How many times have I asked you NOT to call me that ridiculous name?"

"Loki,...Fallen One, whichever pleases you." A very tall, slender figure, dressed in a similar cloak, stepped out from behind a particularly dismal-looking shack. The light flickered across pixi-like features and an intricate tattoo that curved and spiraled across the right side of a decidedly androgynous face. Slender winged eyebrows rose over sharp, intelligent gray eyes. "It's hard not to get caught up in the craze of things. 'Fallen One' has become most popular among the people here."

Loki glared at Musalen before sighing and turning away to watch the laughing twins run off toward the little hovel they called home.

Musalen pulled back the hood to reveal short, black, curling hair and shot Loki an exasperated look.

"Be reasonable, Loki. We need to name you something since you can't remember your true name. At least until you find the One you're looking for. The title helps the people build a mystique around you and in doing so help build their own faith in the cause."

"Even if it's false?" Loki muttered.

"Even so." Musalen agreed. "Although the title is appropriate since you did fall out of the sky."

"And just how many people are aware of that Musalen, one of the three Great Swordsmen, is a woman?"

Musalen raised a piqued eyebrow, the most reaction that Loki had ever been able to provoke from her. She was the most stoic, irritating woman that Loki could remember having the misfortune of meeting. Trust his luck that she happened to be the first one he actually remembered.

The yawning black hole that represented Loki's past was something that never stopped bothering him. It was like losing a tooth and pushing your tongue through the hole it left behind. The fact that something that had been there for so long was now gone, it was a constant niggling *thing* that irritated Loki to no end.

His first memory was the simple sensation of falling. His next, the very uncomfortable landing on a crabby, thorny patch of shrubs that populated the small patches of forest that lined the edges of the dunes. It was strange that fate would have him fall at the feet of one of the Great Swordmasters of Gaea. Lucky too since the prickly bush happened to be mildly toxic, and Musalen knew of the remedy to cure the fever that began to plague Loki within the hour.

The fever was not the only wound Musalen would have to treat. Loki bore a frightening scar across his chest, gaping and bleeding, torn from the fresh stitches that once held it closed.

That was almost three years ago.

Loki's destiny, however vague it was for Loki himself, led him to the war-torn and destitute lands of Zaibach on the strange world of Gaea. A place where two moons hung large in the sky, and the blue green world he supposedly came from was named the Mystic Moon.

In Zaibach, Musalen was working among the refugees and war victims from the Great War, trying her best to provide a safe haven where those who had suffered could find a new beginning. She spoke to the people about fate and destiny, about a time that would come when they would be strong enough to take back what was theirs - their pride. She spoke of a promise that a leader would come, a fallen one, and lead them to the beginnings of a new world.

Loki had no illusions that Musalen truly believed that he was this Fallen One she seen in her visions. He did not condemn her belief or her people's because it gave them strength to continue living. The state of horror the people of Zaibach lived in was bitter enough that Loki could not turn his back on their need. The outrage he felt on their part could not be denied.

No, he didn't mind being this prophesied leader as long as the idea stayed in people's minds, not their mouths. Being constantly referred to as "The Fallen One" made him exceedingly uncomfortable as he felt undeserving of the awe and exultation that came with it. Attention was fine. Worship was a little iffy.

Worship was a difficult cross to bear because it meant that if someone could succeed, someone could also fail. The fall from grace was something Loki knew would be more painful than his fall in the toxic bushes. It was something he felt he had experienced before; the scar that he bore was evidence of that. It wasn't a trip he would recommend.

In the three years Loki had been on Gaea, Musalen and Loki slowly began the foundation of The Resistance. Only in the last year had they finally accumulated enough resources to begin asserting themselves. The literature, information, and technology salvaged from the War were slowly pieced together to create the underground city in the dunes and mountains of Zaibach. The city was called "Pride".

From the recesses of Loki's fragmented mind came the knowledge and understanding of technology and sciences that surpassed the sorcerers of the past. Whispered rumors about The Rebellion and The Fallen One lured the technologists still surviving out of hiding in order to join the cause and pool their knowledge together.

The challenge was getting the former Sorcerers to put aside their egos and cooperate. The perpetual babying of the discontent within the group was enough to drive Musalen crazy. The respect the technologists gave Loki was reluctant and grudging, leaving Loki to be the only one the sorcerers were willing to answer to. Although they refused to honour Musalen, even with the knowledge of her true identity hidden, they did what they could to stay out of her way.

It helped that Loki had his own quiet way of inducing fear among the learned elite of the sorcerers. Not only was he capable of understanding the principles behind the sciences that eluded so many people, but it seemed that he was also blessed with a gift to wield the sword with the same kind of mastery as the Great Swordsman Musalen. The mind behind the sword was very sharp indeed, and it scared the Sorcerers into groveling peons. 

Pride was not very large and for the most part only a portion of the Rebellion members lived there. Small, scattered farming communities were established near Pride's hidden site but in unobtrusive numbers. The city had evolved into a technological factory. Weapons and armor were built and created in a mind-boggling quantity in preparation for a foretold war.

The jewel of Pride was the standing force of over 200 guymelefs. The stones had to be mined and collected under stealth and cover to keep the creation of the war melefs secret.

The raids that began a year ago were part of a ruse to disguise the transportation of the energists; however, efforts were not to be wasted so they tended to target trading barges that carried needed supplies.

Loki tilted his head up to the sun. That was the downfall of Pride. There was no sun, no breeze in the air. The release of the merchant from the last raid would now carry the news that the Rebellion existed. The time for hiding would soon be over. The war would begin in earnest.

His dreams were getting stronger. Every night he dreamed of a woman. He never saw her, never heard her voice. All he knew was she was a part of him and that she could give him his name and his past back.

The dreams were never pleasant though. It could be his own reservations about this war filtering through but his dreamscapes were filled with oppression and the sound of war. This would be where he would find her, in the land of the fallen where the earth has accepted the sacrifice of blood in the mist of violence.

It would be a baptism that could cost more than anyone could possibly imagine.

"We will find her, my friend." Musalen placed a comradely hand on his shoulder. "We will get your name back and your memory." She looked around and spotted several of the villagers returning for the evening meal. "We should return to Pride. We must not linger out here too long and risk the villagers with our exposure."

Loki took one regretful look at the small children squealing as they spotted their parents coming in from the dune mines. He squinted in the sunlight. "Yes, I know." 

Musalen turned and weaved her silent way back along the lean-tos, and into the scattered patches of forest that masked the hidden pathways into the underground city. Loki paused and sent up a silent prayer to nameless gods. He opened his green eyes, dark with pain.

"So it begins."

* * *

Upcoming Chapter 10   
"Introspection: Millerna" 

* * *

Back to   
_The Prophecy_'s Main Page
Back to   
_The Prophecy_'s Chapters Page
E-mail Me!   
trademmho@shaw.ca 

* * *

_The Prophecy_, original artwork and links © Melinda Ho 1999-2002. All rights reserved.   
The Vision of Escaflowne title, names and characters © Hajime Yadate and Shouji Kawamori.   
This fanfiction also includes parts from the anime/manga Rurouni Kenshin, all characters and references to it the property of Sony and Nobuhiro Watsuki.   
_The Prophecy_ is a fanfiction, and is not for sale or profit and for personal use only. Do not distribute. 


	12. Chapter 10 Introspection: Millerna

Chapter X "Introspection: Millerna"  
  
Millerna paced along the wooden planks of the tiny cabin she was confined to. The lantern swung steadily from the ceiling, casting crazy shadows along the walls as it kept time with her padding.   
  
It was her restlessness that had caused Dryden to order her to stay in her room. "It's enough that I am bringing you to Fanelia against your father's wishes, I don't need you to make the rest of my crew nervous with your infernal pacing!"   
  
Dryden's sense of humor had become more acerbic since Millerna had last seen him and though the situation between them had never been comfortable, the awkwardness had grown even more pronounced since her impromptu voyage had begun.   
  
She had been away visiting with her nephew, Chid, when Allen left the country. Upon her return to the capital city in Asturia, the news that Allen had left permanently had so completely absorbed her that she jumped the first ship she could.   
  
She accosted Dryden's barge en route to Fanelia. Oops. Ha Ha.   
There really wasn't much that they could say to each other. Millerna was desperately confused about how she felt about Drydan. She was still stymied about the fact that Allen left without telling her!   
  
Millerna silently ground her teeth in her pique. Allen knew how much she cared for him, yet time after time he continued to ignore and trample over her emotions as if they didn't matter at all. She stopped her pacing. All the more of a fool she was for loving him.   
  
She sighed. Allen Schezar was such a beautiful man. If life would permit it, she could probably drown in his gorgeous blue eyes forever. It hurt to love him so much and receive nothing in return. There was no way she was going to allow him to ignore her any longer and to be rude enough to leave without so much of a goodbye.   
  
She was almost positive that her father and Allen had collaborated together to keep Allen's departure a secret. Just the idea of it was enough to make her want to scream.   
  
In other words, Millerna was really pissed off.   
  
She flopped down on the cabin bunk and stared sullenly at the worn wooden planks of the floor. She had given so much up because of Allen. She couldn't continue her life with Dryden for the simple fact that she loved the blonde knight. The only thing that came close to her love for Allen was healing, and even that was almost forbidden to her.  
  
"Royalty must do what they must." Eries, her remaining sister always said. "Duty must come first; what we like to do, last."   
  
She incited her father's anger by refusing to marry again and put her future position as ruler of Asturia in jeopardy. To top everything off, she hijacked her former husband's ship in order to confront the very man who was the reason for all this discord in her life.   
  
She lay down on the hard mattress and closed her eyes. Allen's soft smile in her mind quickly turned to a tight-lip disapproval upon the discovery of what she had done...again. Millerna opened her eyes with a sigh. Even her imagination wasn't letting her get past the fact that Allen would be furious with her hiatus from her responsibilities. She couldn't ignore the political bind she'd end up putting King Fanel in.   
  
Millerna strengthened her shaky resolve. Only a few minutes, that would be all she would need to try and convince Allen to come back. Then she wouldn't have to worry about going home alone.   
  
* * * * *   
  
Bright light streamed through the small hole of a window and flickered across Millerna's sleeping face. She cracked open a blurry eye and grumbled under her breath about crate beds and feather mattresses.   
  
The sound of heavy footsteps could be heard outside in the hall and stopped abruptly in front of her room. Although Millerna was expecting it, the weighty knocking on the wooden door startled her.   
  
Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Millerna rose out of bed and opened the heavy door. One of Drydan's servants stood back and stared at the princess, his black eyes blinking owlishly through thick bottle-like lenses.   
  
"My apologies for waking you, your Highness. Master Drydan sent me to ask you if you wished to join him for breakfast before we land in Fanelia."   
  
Millerna's heart skipped a beat. "How long until we land?"   
  
"About two hours from now, Majesty."   
  
"I see. I will join Master Drydan for breakfast. Please return for me in a quarter hour."   
  
The servant bowed and hastily made his exit.   
  
Millerna closed the door and sighed as she leaned against it. She touched her temple as she felt the first throbbing of a migraine in progress. Breakfast with Drydan. She wasn't sure it was the best idea at the moment, but it would help pass the remaining hours away.   
  
* * * * *   
  
The glasses clinked softly as the result of a nervous servant's faux pas. Millerna pretended not to notice and almost felt sorry for anyone who had to witness the awkward situation between her and her former husband.   
  
Breakfast wasn't exactly a horrible experience, but there seemed to be nothing either of them could do to lessen the tension between them. Six years was a long time, and neither of them had made any effort to bridge the rift that had grown between them.   
  
There isn't anything to say, Millerna thought sadly, It's like we've forgotten that we exist in each other's world for a while.   
  
Dryden sat back and studied a sheaf of papers that his assistant had given him. He didn't even bother with the pretense of making conversation. Millerna had noticed during the short time she had gone to visit Chid, Dryden had shaven off the stubble he always affectionately kept. The long hair was also gone, which proved to be a shock since his hair had been one of his main vanities. He instead kept short dark locks and the clean shaven look, the exact opposite of what the merchants in Asturia currently favored.   
  
Millerna took a delicate sip of the fruit cordial in front of her and felt the slight change in air pressure as the barge began its descent. She looked up and met Dryden's gaze who nodded.   
  
"We should be arriving in about 15 minutes. You'll want to make sure that all your belongings are packed."   
  
"Yes, of course." Millerna smoothly rose and took her leave of Dryden. Although she was not comfortable with how things stood between her and Dryden, the butterflies in her stomach warned her that she had bigger fish to fry.   
  
* * * * *   
  
The airship landing ended up being anti-climatic at best. Only Celena and Merle came to greet the airship as it came in. The Basram and Freid envoys had both stayed on after Van's birthday in anticipation of Dryden's news. The moment the ship touched down, Celena had hustled her fiancé into the castle where Van waited.   
  
Millerna and Merle stood off to the side, motionless among the bustle of activity. Merle smiled apologetically to her friend.   
  
"Sorry, Mill. I know this is a poor welcome, but we were not exactly expecting you to be accompanying Dryden here. The leaders are anxious for Dryden's news, and Van is trying to calm them down until Dryden arrived. That's why Celena took him with her so quickly."   
  
Millerna sighed. She chewed her lower lip delicately before asking tentatively, "Allen?"   
  
Merle flickered a worried look at the princess. "What were you thinking of, Mill? You can't keep running after him like this."   
  
"I can't just let him leave!" Millerna muttered vehemently. "Not like this."   
  
"Then how?" Merle asked quietly. "Why do you set yourself up for this pain?"   
  
Millerna shuddered and turned towards the castle. "Because I love him. If I lose him, I don't what I'll do."   
  
Merle sadly watched the princess walk away and thought to herself, How can you lose what you never had?   
  
* * * * *   
  
Millerna set down her small bag and took a shaky breath. Her hands were trembling uncontrollably, and her thoughts were a mess, unable to sort themselves out, clamoring for attention. At this rate, I'll be no better than those shivering, hairless dogs. Why are they so damn popular?   
  
Voices could be heard passing by the room. Millerna opened the door a crack and saw a flash of long golden hair. Allen she thought and violently threw open the door.   
  
"Allen!"   
  
He stopped with his companion, a pale, slender young girl with deep green eyes. Millerna felt a stab of jealousy and familiarity as her eyes met the other girl's. She's so young!   
  
Allen murmured something to the strange girl, who shrugged in the most unladylike fashion, and continued in the direction they had been headed. Allen watched her leave until she disappeared around a corner. Only then did he turn to face Millerna.   
  
The look on Allen's face made Millerna's heart sink. Never had she seen him look so cold and distant.   
  
"Princess," Allen greeted coolly.   
  
"Allen!" Millerna ran lightly to him but as she reached for him, he stepped away from her grasp.   
  
"Don't, Princess." Allen shook his golden head.   
  
"But," Millerna hesitated. Allen had never refused her before, although sometimes he had been reluctant. "I missed you. We have so much to talk about."   
  
She reached out to touch his face, and he grabbed her wrist firmly.   
  
"Princess, there is nothing left for us to say to each other. Now, you must excuse me, Highness, I have an meeting I must attend to." Allen dropped her wrist as if she burned him and abruptly walked away.   
  
Millerna stood frozen, unable to speak, unable to follow. Her only thoughts were of unspoken thoughts never having the chance to be said.   
  
* * * * *   
  
Millerna lay on the large bed staring blankly at the little bird perched on her window ledge picking away at the crumbs left on her dinner plate. She couldn't bring herself to go down and join everyone for dinner so she had a serving brought up instead.   
  
She couldn't face Allen, not after he had cut her down where she stood, refusing her even the chance to say what she needed to. To ask him why he felt he had to leave her.   
  
A gentle knock on the door roused Millerna from her depressing thoughts, and she answered it expecting a servant to be returning to pick up the empty dinner dishes.   
  
Instead, Merle stood with a couple bottles of vino and the young girl Millerna had seen with Allen earlier holding enough glasses for three.   
  
"We thought," Merle commented mildly, "that you would appreciate some non-male company and some vino to help sooth the nerves. Seiki calls it...what was it, Seiki?"   
  
"Getting smashed." Seiki supplied promptly.   
  
"Yes," Merle agreed, "smashed."   
  
Millerna met her friend's sympathetic gaze and then studied Seiki under her lashes as both Merle and Seiki made their way into the room determined to ignore the fact that an invitation to enter hadn't been issued.   
  
Merle closed the door firmly behind her and set down one of the bottles of vino. After opening the bottle she held, she waved to Seiki to hold the glasses steady as she filled the glasses to the brim.   
  
She handed Millerna a glass, took one for herself and lifted her glass in a mock toast.   
  
"Bottoms up."   
  
* * * * *   
  
Millerna lay on her bed yet again, only this time it was because she was rendered incapable of standing upright. After her fourth glass, she realized that the vino Merle had purloined from the winery was stronger than was normally served at dinner. Much stronger. The ceiling wouldn't stop spinning, and Merle was laughing uncontrollably, sprawled on the ground near the window.   
  
"Whaazs so funny?" Was it Millerna's imagination or was she actually slurring?   
  
Merle shook her head in amusement and disbelief. "All this and I never remembered to introduce the two of you properly."   
  
It took Millerna a while to understand what Merle was referring to when she realized that she didn't even know the family name of her other drinking companion. Seiki lay on the floor, comfortably sleeping after passing out from only her second glass of vino. Not much of a drinker, huh? she thought. This was the girl who had been walking with her Allen. Millerna closed her eyes to make the ceiling stop dancing.   
  
"Seiki, this is Millerna Aston, Princess of Asturia, and heir to the Asturian throne." Merle began regally, sweeping a broad gesture towards the prone princess on the bed. "She taught me how to be a lady and has an unhealthy interest in a golden knight whom her father hates."   
  
Millerna slowly reached down and yanked one of her shoes off so she could hurl it at her "student". Her aim was horrible. The shoe didn't even reach Merle's feet. "Ungrateful wrench," Millerna muttered, knowing for some reason that she should be more upset at Merle's words and knowing that the vino was providing a pleasant buffer to pain at the moment.   
  
"Mill, dahling, this is Seiki Himura. Great with a sword, hates Van with a passion, is looking for her lost brother. Hmmm, what else...ah! She's also Hitomi's daughter."   
  
Millerna stared blearily at the daughter of her one-time competitor for Allen's affections. Seiki rolled over in her sleep, an arm flung carelessly over her eyes and her braid stuffed in her mouth.   
  
The princess fumbled around for her empty glass and held it out to Merle. "Fillerup. I need another drink." 


	13. Chapter 11 Reunions

Chapter 11 XI "Reunions"  
  
Dryden cleared his throat and looked around the table full of men and women who were more than familiar with hardships and war¾Van, Allen, Kerr, Chid, Millerna, Rayden, Calder, and Merle. Having gained the title of the Beloved's Messenger, Seiki was present as well. She also had something personal at stake if there was a war to come.  
  
"King Aston has requested the reconvening of the Great War Council. He asks that the leaders of their respective countries or their representatives attend the Summit that will take place in Palas three weeks from now. He feels that there are concerns that need to be addressed concerning the former country Zaibach, its citizens and refugees. If the situation is left unchecked, it will leave our countries vulnerable to attack, and we should prepare inevitably for the prospect of war once again."  
  
"King Aston feels that we are this strongly threatened?" Van frowned as he considered the message.  
  
Dryden shook his head. "No, but he doesn't see the harm in addressing the situation now. The rebellion may be small, but if we prepare ourselves now, we may be able to prevent larger bloodshed."  
  
"But bloodshed all the same." Seiki commented shrewdly.  
  
Dryden turned and met Seiki's green eyes. "Yes. King Aston seems certain it won't be avoided. He believes that those who lead the rebels hold the Allies responsible for their downfall."  
  
"Is there no way to treaty?" Allen questioned. "Surely the situation is not so out of hand that negotiations have become an option we can't use."  
  
"No, but we suspect that there is more strength behind the Rebellion than what meets our eyes. Much more. Do you remember, Van, about the man that returned to us after being kidnapped with the hijacked ship?"  
  
Van nodded, remembering the details of the letter Dryden had sent prior to his arrival in Fanelia.  
  
"He was raving when we found him, so long he had gone without water. What we could discern from his ramblings, we gathered an impression that the Rebellion is gathering supplies, and building an army under the leadership of one 'Fallen One'. We're almost certain it exists, but still don't know where it would be."  
  
Millerna frowned slightly. "Can we trust such a source? If he was in that much distress and raving no less, how much can we trust this information?"  
  
Kerr sighed. "We can't, but we can't ignore any warnings either. It's better to check out the information and protect ourselves best as we can given the situation."  
  
"And the Allies need to pound out and revise the war treatise, and find out what we can do cooperatively to face any possible threat from the remains of Zaibach." Allen added. "I understand now where King Aston is going with this."  
  
Dryden nodded. "Already three weeks is longer than he wishes, but even he understands he can't summon all the leaders of Gaea on intuition and fear. The illusion of time to prepare will allow the leaders to arrive with more open ears."  
  
"What I don't understand is why it's necessary for a full scale summit that includes all the Allies? Zaibach had been broken six year ago, they are obviously not the power they once were." Rayden fidgeted impatiently with his notes in front of him.  
  
Dryden sighed bitterly. "That's just the thing, Advisor. Zaibach shouldn't have been broken. Not to the extent where we barred trade with the remaining communities within her. As much as I would like to think that The Fallen One's followers are simply vagabonds, their success at pirating despite the increase in security and precautions tells me that they have at least someone intelligent enough to keep them out of trouble...for now."  
  
Rayden shook his head in disbelief. "But a full Summit? I'm concerned about the pirating...but the complete council? Do you think this is really necessary?"  
  
Allen sighed and rubbed his forehead as if it pained him. "I think King Aston doesn't want to take any chances. If there is a rebellion brewing, big or small, he wants to make sure it's squashed before any real damage is done."  
  
Millerna grimaced at Allen's comment. "I would have to agree with you there. My father would be very concerned over something like this. After what happened with the Great War, I don't think he wants to be caught unawares again." Millerna stared out of the windows. "He refused to take a stand last time and look at what we all lost. I think he regrets...many things."  
  
Merle snorted. "And so he should. I love you to death Mill, but I can't forgive him for what he tried to do to Van and Hitomi."  
  
"He was simply trying to protect Asturia's interests." Millerna protested.  
  
"You mean his own profit! He wanted Escaflowne for the money it would bring in, and Hitomi as a gift for his sidekick!" Allen injected hotly.  
  
Van slapped the table in front of him. "Enough! What lies in the past should remain there. We don't have the time to bicker. We must concentrate on our task at hand and address the problems we face today." He frowned and drummed his fingers. "It is settled then. We will travel to Palas for the Summit."  
  
He caught Kerr and Chid's eyes, looking for affirmation. "We still have time to prepare for the worst. I suggest Basram and Freid take the opportunity to send back representatives in order to give warning at home and prepare for war themselves. We can't allow the rebels any advantage of surprise. We must be ready for them."  
  
"Do we have enough time?" Seiki asked softly. "How do we know there won't be an attack before the Summit?"  
  
"We don't." Van answered grimly. "We can only hope that this is smaller than we think."  
  
Everyone nodded their agreement, the expressions on their faces somber and grim. In the Great War, Zaibach always had the advantage of surprise. None in Gaea had imagined that Zaibach would be capable of marshaling such an incredible force of destruction.  
  
"Then I adjourn this meeting." Van stood up and stared at his comrades. His friends, his family¾they would see this through until the very end.  
  
People drifted out, until only Millerna, Allen, and Van remained behind. Millerna sighed and leaned back in her chair. "There are too many details I have missed. I appreciate that you've allowed me to sit in on council so I can get up to speed with events so far. Father is not well enough for another war, and I'm afraid for him."  
  
Van smiled. "You are always welcome, Millerna. Your opinion is greatly appreciated."  
  
"Perhaps," Allen pointed out coldly, "if you had remained home, your father could have informed you of the events in further detail. Your place is with him, not here."  
  
Millerna grew still and then straightened, visibly drawing up her cloak of authority. "When your opinion is required I will ask for it." She paused as she stared into the blues eyes she had always adored, trying hard to forget that this was the man she had loved forever. "You forget your place, Ambassador. I hold rank here."  
  
Van cleared his throat, clearly anxious that a full-scale brawl didn't break out in front of him. "Allen, please leave. I need a moment to speak with the Princess."  
  
Allen rose and left the room without a backward glance. Millerna closed her eyes briefly against the sting of contempt he left behind.  
  
Van reached over and gently patted her hand. "I'm sorry, Millerna. Allen was very upset to discover that you came to Fanelia, especially after news of the last raids came to us. He is worried."  
  
Millerna drew her hand away and took a steadying breath. "But it doesn't give him the right to treat me as if I haven't got a thought in my head. He forgets who I am."  
  
Van studied her quietly. "No, he doesn't have the right. He shouldn't have said what he did. But haven't you forgotten who he is, Millerna?" He paused as she flinched. "I have known that you loved him for longer than we have been close friends, Princess. Always, you have put your love for him before your country. Before your duty. Can we, as allies, count on you to be the leader your King has asked you to be, or will you once again abandon your responsibilities for a love that cannot be?"  
  
Millerna shuddered, unable to deny what Van softly accused her of. Her marriage, her escapades, they were all motivated by her love for Allen. In the end, she had until this very moment, allowed her obsession to rule her, abandoning everything that was asked of her.  
  
Millerna stood, and Van rose with her. She lightly punched the King's arm and then hugged him desperately. He held her gently and she realized that Van had grown again. He was much taller, much broader than he once was. *All grown up* she thought as she pulled back.  
  
"Thank you," she whispered, "for being a friend."  
  
Van shrugged and grinned. "I have higher rank than you."  
  
Millerna laughed and shook her head. "When did you become so eloquent?"  
  
Van raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I'm not." His face grew serious as he said thoughtfully, "I just don't like to see my friends hurting, that's all." He threw a friendly arm around the princess's shoulders. "And you have to remember that you will always be my friend."  
  
Millerna smiled and slipped and arm around him to hug him again. "Van," she said softly. He looked down at her, a question in his eyes. "You can count on me. I promise you this." Van grinned and nodded.  
  
"I know."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"You're going to send me back?" Jessa shrilled. "You promised me that you wouldn't leave me behind."  
  
Kerr winced at the new octave his sister's voice reached. He was glad that the door to their room was closed. He shook his head. "Jessa, this isn't going to be a social occasion. There is real danger here, and I need you at home to make sure that everything is okay."  
  
"Isn't that what your congress is for? I'm useless back there; everyone sees me as the President's bubble-headed sister-Lady Good-for-nothing." The last word Jessa uttered wavered uncertainly.  
  
"Enough, Jessa. No one thinks of you that way."  
  
"Bullshit, Kerr. Do you think I'm blind? That I can't see them looking at me with contempt?" Jessa pounded the window she stood by with her fist. "You are the only one...the only one who sees me as I truly am. Do I have to lose you too?"  
  
Kerr sighed and scratched his cheek. He needed a shave. "Jessa, you won't lose me..."  
  
"Won't I?" Jessa spun around and glared at her brother. "You just told me there was danger. How am I to know I won't lose you like Mom and Dad?" She stopped abruptly and stuffed her fist in her mouth as tears spilled through her lashes.  
  
"Jessa," Kerr hugged his sister and carefully wiped away her tears. "Why do you isolate yourself so much? Can't you find companions you can trust?"  
  
"What's wrong with my friends?"  
  
"You keep them near so you can keep an eye on them and away from Van. They aren't your friends, and you know it."  
  
Jessa sniffed. "Trustworthy people are hard to find. It would be easier if you didn't go around agreeing with Lady Merle's opinion."  
  
Kerr groaned. "Are you serious? Are you forgetting that you were the one who insisted your mask must be perfect? You're the one who suggested I play along with this!"  
  
Jessa crossed her arms and pouted. "Well, it wouldn't hurt if you didn't listen to me every once in a while."  
  
"Jessa," Kerr scowled at her, "why do you insist on this charade? If you made peace with Lady Merle, you could truly be who you are instead of pretending and hiding all the time. Instead you run around with people you care nothing about and force your company and false personality on the one man, other than I, you truly care for. Where is the logic in any of this? Why must you torture yourself?"  
  
"How else am I going to survive? You know what happened when you first came into office! That man, Dian, he tried to get to you through me! He used me to try and kill you because I was too stupid, too trusting, to see him for what he was. These noblewomen, they're monsters! If you don't belong, they eat you alive. I'm no blueblood. If I don't hold my own, they'll do everything they can to ruin us when your term is up." She shivered, "You know the élitists are pissed off at your last batch of reforms...they want you out...really bad. Any one of those bitches could be sent to try and get rid of you again."  
  
Kerr gently shook his sister's shoulders. "Jessa, enough! Don't work yourself up like this or your condition will act up again." He forced her to sit down on the window seat and brushed his hand against Jessa's forehead. "Did you take your medicine?" Jessa shook her head and Kerr sighed again. "Have you been coughing?"  
  
Jessa grimaced and looked down. "Jessa? Let me see." Kerr coaxed softly, holding his hand out. Trembling, Jessa reached inside her long sleeve and pulled out a bloodied kerchief. Kerr turned white at the sight of the drops of blood.  
  
"Is it bad?" Jessa asked quietly, fear in her eyes.  
  
Kerr smiled sadly. "You would think that I would have it too, since I've been tending you when your symptoms first showed." He sighed heavily. "We've been seeing a mutation of the original disease. I knew we should have kept you on the medication even when the symptoms were gone."  
  
"But I was feeling fine." Jessa protested.  
  
Kerr shook his head. "Fine, yes, but not cured."  
  
"There's still a chance for a cure?" Jessa asked hopefully.  
  
Kerr pulled out a tiny vial out of the wooden box that sat on the dressing table. He wrestled with the small cap and handed the vial to his sister. "It would help if you took your medicine like you were told to," he said grimly.  
  
Jessa's face reddened and meekly drank the greenish fluid. She lowered the vial and stared at her brother pleadingly. "Don't leave me behind, Kerr. Please. I don't think I could stand it."  
  
Kerr met Jessa's eyes seriously. "I have a couple conditions and there are no ifs, ands, or buts." Jessa rolled her eyes. Kerr waggled the empty vial at her grimly. "No jokes. I'm serious." Wary now, Jessa met her brother's eyes solemnly. Very rarely was Kerr ever this serious with her unless it was really important.  
  
"You must always take your medication. If the sickness comes back, it can spread to the others. You must ensure that you don't forget."  
  
Jessa nodded. She understood the importance of it and would not forget again.  
  
"You have to offer a truce with Lady Merle."  
  
"What?" Jessa shrieked and stood up so quickly, she had to sit down again. "How can you ask that of me? She has only to see me and her claws come out!"  
  
"It's instinct," Kerr said dryly, "you're both trained to instantly hate each other."  
  
"Great, you make us sound like trained attack animals."  
  
"At this point, you may as well be."  
  
"Kerr!"  
  
"Enough!" Kerr slapped his hand against the dresser, startling Jessa enough to make her jump in her seat.  
  
"If you can't make peace with Lady Merle, you'll be sent home. This is an international DIPLOMATIC mission. I want you with me because your health is deteriorating, but it will put a lot of stress on you. Plus, I will not have you playing the ridiculous games you do with Lady Merle and causing and international incident because your affections for Fanelia's King blinds you. It would be even better if you tell Lady Merle of your condition."  
  
Kerr held up his hand to forestall Jessa's protest. "Use common sense! I can't be with you all the time. The diplomatic situation is desperate. Lady Merle WILL help if you are in trouble and your condition worsens. She has had training with Princess Millerna in healing and can keep an eye on you."  
  
Jessa blinked in surprise. "Healing?"  
  
Kerr laughed. "You don't seriously believe that all those etiquette lessons with Princess Millerna were only about etiquette. The Princess would have been bored to tears."  
  
Jessa started to nervously fiddle with the gold ring on her finger. It was her last souvenir of her dead mother, her mother's wedding ring. "How?" she whispered.  
  
"Yes, that is a problem, isn't it?" Kerr mused. Jessa kicked his shin dejectedly. "You ask me to do this and you don't even have a plan?"  
  
"No plans, but a suggestion." Kerr rubbed his shin ruefully. "Approach Princess Millerna. You may find that you have more in common than you may think."  
  
* * * * *  
  
It seemed almost obscene that the day would be so nice after contemplating the possibilities of war. For Celena, she had not seen friends and family die, or experience the horrors of witnessing thousands of people die to protect something they believed in. Her fate had been held by another who was the instigator of much destruction-Dilandu, the Dragon Slayers' leader.  
  
At the end of the Great War, Celena's body rejected its altered fate and returned to its natural form. Most of Dilandu's memories, thankfully, disappeared as well; however, a residue of Dilandu still remained.  
  
Celena never discussed these ghost memories with anyone, especially Allen. She feared that Allen would panic and send her away. In the first few years, the residue memories were strong. Coping with them were difficult, and often Celena felt like she was living in a waking nightmare. Ghosts images haunted the edges of her vision and Celena heard echoes of screams in her sleep.  
  
Rumors quietly swirled questioning Celena's sanity, although Allen quickly and brutally crushed them. However, he was not quick enough to keep them all from Celena's hearing.  
  
For solace, Celena would spend her time in the gardens and sometimes wandered around the practice grounds to watch the soldiers in training. Slowly, but surely, Celena befriended the soldiers she watched, and to pass the lonely days Allen was away, Celena began training the residue instincts that remained from Dilandu's formidable skills.  
  
Instinct turned into true talent, completely free of Dilandu's malicious intent. Eventually Allen learned of her training and, to Celena's surprise, approved of it. It eased Allen's mind that Celena was now capable of protecting herself to some extent unlike when she had been kidnapped so long ago.  
  
Strange, Celena thought, it was a day like this she met Drydan Fassa. Once again, Celena had been in the gardens, only this time she was practicing with the long bow, shooting at a target. Many of her new friends at the armory were amazed at Celena's incredible accuracy and her ability to easily pull the difficult long bow. After a couple weeks of regular training, she was splitting arrows in the center target.  
  
On this particular day, Celena had successfully split three arrows before she realized that she had an audience. Drydan had been quietly watching from the bench off to the side. It was through chance meetings like the first one that a friendship began to grow between Celena and Dryden.  
  
Dryden was one of the few survivors from the Great War who was aware of Celena's previous identity. However, he lacked the fear that the other had, including Allen, that she would one day revert to her altered state.  
  
Eventually the others, like Van, Merle, and Millerna, were able to see what Dryden had been aware of from the beginning. Celena was a separate individual, apart and different from Dilandu.  
  
Because Dryden was the first to see and understand Celena's loneliness, he became the first and only one to hear of Celena's residue memories from Dilandu.  
  
Dryden didn't shrink away from her in fear, instead he comforted and reassured Celena's individuality. From there, Celena and Dryden's friendship grew into something more. Many in Asturia were aware of their friendship, but ironically enough, no one thought that romance between the two would flourish.  
  
Their romantic relationship enjoyed a certain kind of privacy that many did not have in the higher social circles. Celena's friends in the barracks, Van, and Merle were the only ones who knew of what had grown between Dryden and Celena.  
  
Celena supposed that Allen knew subconsciously that something more was going on, but he had simply refused to acknowledge it due to the fact that Allen had issues of his own to deal with.  
  
Celena sighed as she came out of her reflection, and Dryden stirred beside her. They had been sitting quietly in Van's private gardens, staring at the growth-covered shape of Escaflowne, Van's decommissioned Ispano guymelef.  
  
Dryden brushed a stray lock out of Celena's eyes. "What's wrong? Fifty million for your thoughts."  
  
Celena chuckled. "My thoughts are not worth that much, my love. You are far too generous as always."  
  
Dryden smiled lopsidedly. "The smile is worth it even if your thoughts aren't." He ducked a playful swat to the head. "Seriously, your mood's dark. What's wrong?"  
  
Celena tucked her head under his chin and wrapped her arms around Dryden's waist. His arms closed around her comfortingly. How could she explain the sense of dread and the feeling of darkness that was approaching.  
  
Dryden stroked her hair affectionately and hugger her hard. "I know. I feel it too."  
  
He looked at the quiet Escaflowne, dark in the shadows of trees. Somehow, he thought, I'm not sure if I would feel better if Escaflowne was alive or not.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Millerna was feeling like...how would you say...crap. Crap, crap, crappy, crap crap. Her conversation with Van gave her a lot to think about. Understatement. It was a harsh wake-up call that she no longer had the luxury of doing as she pleased.  
  
It's time to put aside childish things, she thought sadly.  
  
She knew she couldn't leave things as they were with Allen. The situation between them was barely civil. She didn't think she could pretend to be pretentious constantly in front of Allen if she was to be any use to Van. If not for herself, Millerna still needed to sort things out with the Ambassador for the sake of her promise to Van.  
  
She needed Allen's cooperation, not contempt, if she was to successfully take on the increasing responsibilities her father was leaving her.  
  
Now if only she could find the stupid bastard.  
  
She'd been wandering around the castle chasing Allen-shaped phantoms. "Oh, he was just here, your highness." "That's funny, I just saw him." "You just missed him, my Lady."  
  
It was like trying to tack pudding to the wall.  
  
Millerna turned the corner of a particularly deserted hallway, chasing the latest Allen rumor, and accidentally ran into a smaller woman.  
  
"Oh, pardon me," Millerna exclaimed. The smaller woman shook her head and smiled tentatively.  
  
"No, it was my fault. I was too busy woolgathering." Millerna laughed and took a closer look at the young woman.  
  
"You must be Lady Jessa, President Basram's sister?"  
  
"Ah, my ill reputation precedes me then." Jessa blushed a little and looked distinctly uncomfortable.  
  
Millerna shrugged, torn between feeling contempt for Jessa's well- publicized escapades and intrigued with this now almost-civilized version. She didn't feel the hair-raising aura, similar to cats singing, that usually surrounded Lady Jessa. Millerna blinked in surprise, realizing that she really had caught Jessa completely off her guard. And without her mask.  
  
It didn't take Millerna long to understand and recognize that Jessa wore a mask, just like Millerna was forced to with her situation with Allen. After all, didn't everyone wear masks in one form or another?  
  
"Other than the fact that you look like a female version of your brother, I have to admit that Lady Merle's colour commentary of your antics has been less than flattering."  
  
Once again to Millerna's surprise, Jessa's reaction was not as she expected. Instead of replying with disdain, Jessa's shoulders slumped and the curve of her rosebud lips turned downward in a grimace.  
  
Was it her imagination, or did Jessa look a little pale and thin? She definitely looked worn out, as if she hadn't been sleeping or eating enough, Millerna thought.  
  
"Well, yes, I guess most of it would be true." Jessa replied, tiredly rubbing her temple.  
  
"Is this some sort of ill-advised attempt to gain my sympathy?" Millerna snapped, impatient at last with this new Jessa persona. "Because if it is, I warn you, I'm not in the best mood to be toyed with."  
  
Jessa rolled her eyes with disgust and threw her hands up. "No. For once, I'm trying to be genuine." She sighed. "I guess it isn't working."  
  
Millerna raised her eyebrows in disbelief.  
  
"It was my brother's idea to speak with you because you've been trained as a healer." Jessa muttered. "I told him it wouldn't work since Lady Merle has made it clear to everyone how much of a bitch I am."  
  
Something in Jessa's tone made the bells start to ring in Millerna's head and Millerna eyed Jessa thoughtfully. Why would Lady Jessa want to speak with a healer? she thought.  
  
"Despite what you think, Lady Merle rarely tries to encourage the rest of us to join her in agreeing with her. I think she almost prefers the opposition." Millerna paused and then smiled.  
  
"Besides, I've always had a mind to make an opinion based on my own experiences rather than others. Maybe that's why I keep getting into trouble."  
  
Jessa's mouth involuntarily twitched.  
  
"What I've seen of you and your actions relatively describe you as a bitch, not Lady Merle." Millerna pointed out mildly, without rancor. "However, being born to court like I have-I've seen worse. The court is nothing more than a stage to perform on for most." She watched Jessa appraisingly.  
  
Jessa shrugged. "We all do what we must. It's survival of the fittest. Sometimes it works, other times it backfires in our faces. In this case it has backfired in mine. My brother tells me I need to find a way to mend my...relationship with Lady Merle."  
  
Millerna let out a startled laugh. "How in all holy hells do you think that is going to happen?"  
  
"It's not my idea," Jessa retorted, "But he'll leave me behind if I can't call some sort of a truce!"  
  
"I can't stay behind! I can't!" she said desperately, no longer caring what the princess thought. "If I lose him, I lose the only one who knows and loves me as I truly am!"  
  
Millerna felt herself soften as she recognized the note of sheer panic in Jessa's voice. Allen can't leave, he can't. I gave up everything for him.  
  
Jessa was visibly shaken, holding herself as if to keep something else within her from spilling out. It could be a trap, Millerna mused. Gods know she could be manipulative. But, Millerna knew, as manipulative as Jessa could be, her motives and intentions had always been transparently false. It was the false exterior that always aggravated Merle, who preferred more straight forward personalities.  
  
No, the Lady of Basram had many secrets that she felt she needed to hide in order to survive. Millerna sensed a thread of fear in the way that Jessa held herself. This first time was the most vulnerable Jessa had allowed herself to be in front of someone else other than the president himself, Millerna suspected.  
  
"Lady Jessa." Jessa looked up, uncertain.  
  
"I will see what I can do to help your situation, but I have some conditions we need to discuss." She paused at the looked of incomprehension on Jessa's face.  
  
"Let's talk over lunch." 


	14. Chapter 12 Intrigues

WARNING: This chapter has violent scenes and crude language that may be disturbing to some readers. Please use discretion.

Chapter XII "Intrigues"

The clash of metal echoed hollowly in a sharply lit room. A man grunted, followed by the dry shuffling of quick footsteps across the cemented floor.

Loki danced away as his sparring partner, Musalan, thrust her sword towards him, catching the thin fabric of his sleeve. He quickly parried, forcing Musalan to retreat and to rally her forces once again.

Slash, turn, block, parry, thrust, it was a dance with a rhythm few could understand. Each movement completed in turn would be repeated even faster the next time, until the dance could no longer be followed except by the dancers themselves.

There was another clash, and another grunt. Musalen flicked the tip of her sword under Loki's and flipped his sword into the air. It fell with a loud obnoxious jangle to the ground a couple feet away from where they stood.

Musalan stepped back and stared at her companion. "Something bothers you today. You're distracted and pathetically non-attentive to our sparring." She reached out and fingered the small tear in Loki's sleeve. "I shouldn't have been able to wreak your shirt like this." She stopped in surprise. "You're cut. You'll need stitches."

Loki looked at the small tear and dismissed it. "It's nothing that a needle and some thread can't fix."

"And if my sword was poisoned?"

"Then I would have died."

"You are too careless."

"Perhaps I choose to be so."

"For what reason?"

Loki stared at his first commander, his green eyes meeting steel gray ones. "So I can remember the consequences when I am." He absently touched his chest where the shirt hid the long scar that he bore.

In the privacy of his own room, the man given the name Loki stared at his reflection in the mirror.

"Who are you?" he asked the man with the tired green eyes. "What is it in your past that haunts your dreams?"

He picked up the long, curved katana in front of him. Other than the wicked scar that decorated his chest and the clothes on his body, the sword in his hands was the only clue he had of his dark, forgotten past.

He ran his fingers lightly over the sheath of the katana. Embroidered on a cloth-wrapped wooden sheath in muted threads were animals that he knew existed as fighting disciplines. His fighting disciplines.

An image of a carved wooden twin flashed in Loki's mind, and eyes twin to his own stared out of the mirror as if they belonged to another.

Loki slowly fastened the sword to his side and drew on his leather gloves. His armor was a deep red, the colour of heart's blood. He met the stranger's eyes in the mirror once again and surrounded himself with the sound of silence.

Someday, he promised the stranger, you won't be able to hide from me any longer.

He walked into the main square where a hundred guymelefs were assembled with their operators. Close to two thousand men and women gathered where sound echoed eerily in the underground caverns of the hidden city Pride.

Artificial light flickered across the metal surfaces of the guymelefs' bodies, replicas of Zaibach's design from the Great War. Loki's people had spent the last three years scavenging and raiding for parts. Drag energists were slowly excavated to avoid detection.

Musalen stepped out in front of her chosen guymelef. She affectionately called it "Vengeance." She was the most accomplished of the riders and was the key in training their ragtag army.

Loki moved to meet her, shaking his head as she mockingly patted her machine.

"Muse, you could have a chosen a less...angry name for your guymelef you know," he told her with exasperation.

Musalen raised an eyebrow, an amused expression on her face. "I thought it was appropriate. Somehow I don't think a name like 'Fluffy' would strike fear in the hearts of my opponents." She paused and looked up at the towering machine. "I don't suppose I could interest you in trying one out again."

Loki shook his head adamantly. "I prefer to remain outside and not closed up in a machine. I'll be more effective on foot." He shuddered when he remembered his attempt at using a guymelef. Although he was fascinated with how they worked, he couldn't connect with the great machines warriors.

Transferring his power with his sword to a guymelef proved to be too much for the machine, and it had taken eight long hours to extract Loki from the rubble that remained from the explosion.

Musalen laughed, "I think it would be better for the guymelefs if we kept you away from them." She glanced around the rest of the force gathered. "Is a hundred enough?"

Loki frowned, turning the question in his head. "I've been told that Asturia had called a Summit. We know that Merchant Fassa has brought word to Fanelia."

"How do you know they will come?" Musalen asked.

"They have no choice." Loki shrugged. "In the end, it doesn't matter. The Princess must return to Asturia, and the King knows it. The Summit is another reason, and so is his conscience."

Musalen sighed. "What has Raspun said? What are the possibilities?"

"Basram and Fried remained in Fanelia. Merchant Fassa and the Princess have joined them. There is the highest possibility that if Fanelia goes the rest will follow."

"And the chance Fanelia will not attend the Summit?"

"Less than 1 percent and the odds are still in our favor. There are no countries remaining that have a standing war guymelef army over 10. The contingent from Fanelia will have 5 war guymelefs at the most, possibly a detachment of 20 small melefs. Even then, one of ours is worth ten of any other, with the exception of Basram."

"And compared to Basram?" Musalen asked dryly, already knowing the answer.

"Equal, if not better." Loki accepted the fact with little trepidation. "However, Basram's war fleet stands at merely 20. I'm not concerned. And Escaflowne remains decommissioned last we heard."

Musalen relaxed slightly. "So, the Dragon sleeps for now. Well, I can trust Raspun's numbers of nothing else. The numbers are most compelling."

"Yes." Loki shrugged. "But it's not enough. Numbers will not win this war alone." He signaled to his people and the murmuring among them fell silent.

"Where's the informant?" Musalen waved to the guards behind them. The guard on the right shoved a ragged man dressed in worn fatigues forward. The soldier staggered and fell hard to his knees; his tied hands behind him unable to break his fall.

Loki studied the tired man in front of him. "Your name is Farell, isn't it? Why did you come to us? Why are you so eager to betray your country?"

The man reared back in anger and spat in disgust without thinking. Musalen drew her sword so sharply, the tip rested at Farell's Adam's apple before his spittle completely left his lips. The sharp scent of urine filled the air as a small puddle collected between the ragged soldier's knees.

"I believe," Musalen commented mildly, "you are capable of explaining without being so vulgar, soldier."

Farell slowly swallowed, wincing as the movement pushed the sword tip in a little further. A small bead of blood trickled down his throat.

Loki surveyed Farell's current condition with distaste. "I want to know why." Loki fingered the hilt of his sword thoughtfully. "Your life may depend on it."

Farell flicked his eyes nervously from Musalen's cold gray eyes to Loki's even colder green eyes, down to the sword hilt that Loki's hand rested on, and cross-eyed at the one resting at his throat.

"Fanelia is no longer my country. She has abandoned me before I have betrayed her. All over a single white-haired bitch." Musalen raised an eyebrow and lightly lifted the sword tip a little higher.

"Girl. A girl. Named Seiki. She looks…she looks…" Farell stopped in surprise and stared at Loki, his mouth gaping wide as realization dawned on his face. "You look like her." he blurted out. "You are the one she seeks!"

Musalen blinked in surprise. Loki ignored both of them. "You have not given me your reason."

Farell closed his mouth slowly and scowled. "The King wanted to test the chit. Make her prove that she was capable of taking care of herself. He had three of us attack her at the same time. I felt sorry for her because she was so small and hurt. No one else saw it but me." Farell sneered. "She was only pretending and humiliated us. A wolf in sheep's clothing. I threw my daggers at her, and for that, my King dismissed me dishonourably."

He laughed harshly, for a moment forgetting a sword rested at his throat and a warm puddle sat between his knees. "Years of blood, sweat, and tears to be among the elite, only to be ruined by a bitch-in-heat the King has the hots for. This is worth losing honour for? One woman?"

Loki remained quiet as Farell babbled on until he finally fell silent. The men stood still, watching and waiting for their leader's decision. Wordlessly, Loki waved Musalen back. Surprised, she stepped away reluctantly.

With the removal of the sword, Farell closed his eyes briefly and heaved a sigh of relief. He opened his mouth in order to speak words of gratitude and pledge his allegiance to this strange new power but stopped short at the sound of steel rasping. Loki has shifted position, posed in the position identical to the white-haired bitch in Fanelia.

Identical in every way.

Loki straightened and flicked his contemptuous gave over the informer. "I have no need for fools and betrayers. You can never trust their loyalty."

Farell's puzzled look changed into horrified surprise as his open-mouthed head slowly slid off his severed neck and fell to the ground with a wet thud. With his katana, Loki had sliced off Farell's head faster than anyone could witness with their eyes.

Musalen watched the Fallen One with a hooded expression. Loki's gaze had briefly taken on a chilling, amber sheen, unsettling his commander more than she cared to imagine. "We could have found out more if you had let him live. More about the woman in your dreams."

Loki sucked in a startled breath. Visions of flames flashed in his mind, and he could smell smoke, burnt flesh, and blood. His nostrils flared and he shook his head. "This fight is bigger than me. I couldn't abide his filth to spread among our people. How can we survive with betrayers in our midst? One mistake, one fool, would destroy us all."

He turned to the watchful gathering of men and women, silent witnesses to the necessary ruthlessness of their chosen leader.

"You know why we're here and what needs to be done. We leave with the setting of the sun to our destinations." He looked around and met the expectant gazes of the men and women he would fight side by side with.

"Activate your energists. Prepare your gear. The time has come to take back what is ours. Our Pride."


	15. Chapter 13 Confrontations

WARNING: This chapter has violent scenes and crude language that may be disturbing to some readers. Please use discretion.

Chapter XIII "Confrontations"

Dryden looked up at the clear blue sky and frowned off the odd feeling that someone was watching. The feeling itched and crawled its way up his spine, settling at the base of his neck.

He watched as Reeden ran around Shezar's airship, Crusade, preparing it for the journey to the Summit in Asturia. Alseides, the ambassador's guymelef, remained conspicuously covered in the main hatch of the airship. Dryden glanced behind him towards Van's private gardens and not for the first time today wished that Escaflowne was still on active duty.

The king was preparing to depart Fanelia as quickly as possible, responding to King Asturia's summons. Two weeks had already flown by, but the preparations of three separate parties could only move so fast. Although Van was welcome to use Dryden's own barge, Allen's smaller airship would provide faster travel time and allow the king to arrive at the conference of rulers more quickly. President Kestral and Duke Freid would both be following Van in small airships of their own, smaller detachments from their main entourages.

Dryden had decided to forgo the more comfortable barge and travel with Van and Allen. His high rank within the International Merchant Association came with connections with those who could provide the materials for war individual countries could not or would not provide openly. It was invaluable information that the Summit couldn't afford to be without.

Men moved quickly in the landing field, making sure that equipment remained secure and in place. The tension in the air was palpable; news of the Summit had spread quickly, and rumors of war consumed conversation like fire to dry tinder.

Van's men waited with a sense of anticipation, almost able to taste the blood in the air. Dryden, having experienced the horrors of the Great War from the political seat, could not understand how anyone could look forward towards bloodshed with eagerness. Innocent life was taken uselessly on both sides, and in the end, even with a victor named, both sides lost unaccountable life and resources. The waste was staggering, and it was something that Dryden had difficulty coming to terms with.

The Fanelian army remained untried. Six years of being rebuilt and retrained weighed heavily on the soldiers who had not seen a day of battle on the field and who felt keenly their lack of experience. A war was a chance to prove themselves and chase after the collective dream of glory.

All Dryden could see was the wasteland a new war would leave behind. This war would be bigger than the last, greater and more horrifying than any of them could imagine.

He shivered and tried to shake off the impending sense of doom that plagued him. He glanced around in irritation because the feeling of been heavily watched still bothered him. He had decided to his chagrin that Celena and he should accompany Van's party along with Merle and the mysterious Seiki.

Millerna had made it clear that anywhere Allen was, she would be there as well. She had unfinished business with the blonde-haired ambassador. Dryden was relieved that Millerna was distracted by another, although a small part of him resented the fact that it was Allen. The awkwardness between Dryden and Millerna was a hurdle they could not overcome after all the long years of actively avoiding each other.

Dryden had truly loved Millerna when he married her. He left her because he felt unworthy to be her husband and unworthy to hold the title of king. The Great War had shown him with clarity how small of a man he really was and how powerless he was to do anything at all.

So he laboured to try and make himself a bigger man over the years, always trying to live up to an image of what he thought Millerna deserved in a consort. He developed the International Trades Association in order to encourage the trade of goods and fair labour for most countries. He worked until he realized that he didn't even know what he was working for anymore. His days were blurred and his nights lonely and exhausted. After the Great War, all he could worry about was not wasting anything, when in the end he was wasting away his own life.

What good did all his work come to in the end? The Association missed the one country that could have prevented any possibility of this new war. Dryden had known in his heart long ago when he first started the project that Zaibach should have been the first they should have tried to help. Countless of refugees were turned away or scorned, destitute because of the collapse of their major cities and the loss of their leaders. The Association was too young to have a real voice, afraid of losing the little support they had back then to risk it. Dryden allowed the rulers to talk him out of what was right and what had needed to be done for their future's sake.

Now it was going to come back and haunt them.

Dryden's mouth drew into a tight line. It always came down to the politics, the very position he fled from. The ceaseless games of men playing gods, the constant struggle to remain on top of the pyramid of power. It was never the goal that seemed important but the way that the players played the game, no matter how long it took.

The irony lay in the fact that the very position he felt useless in was the same as the one he needed to get things done and get people to listen.

Van walked into the landing field with Allen, distracting Dryden from his harrowing thoughts. He knew his fiancée's brother was not really fond of him, but it didn't stop Dryden from respecting the man in his own right. He suspected he knew the reasons why Allen was constantly avoiding the princess over the long years. People talked, and Dryden was aware of Allen's past, although not all the details. However some things were simply best left untouched, unsaid. He had no reason to provoke Celena's brother. Dryden was sure the ambassador had enough worries to deal with.

As Van and Allen reached Dryden, Celena came in with the remaining entourage that would be traveling in the Crusade. Merle, Millerna, and Seiki accompanied her. Merle and Millerna seemed to be in a particularly animated conversation.

"Millerna, I can't believe you're telling me that you actually LIKE Lady Jessa! She's been an incredible pain in the ass, and the way she treats Seiki is unforgivable!"

"Please Merle, don't take this so personally. We simply had a chance to chat, that's all. She doesn't seem so bad."

"Yes, well tell that to Maria and her family, the ones that little twit managed to evict out of here under her schemes."

Millerna rolled her eyes. "That is not the worst I've heard of nobility doing each other. Lady Jessa, I'm sure, could have found less savory ways of getting rid of her rival and probably less revocable ways too. She did apologize to Maria and her family, and even you as well. There is more at stake now than your feud."

Merle huffed, "Well, don't think I haven't thought of that as well. I still don't have the slightest clue what you see in her at all." She scowled. "You know I only agreed to truce with her because you asked me to even though I don't know why."

Millerna looked away, and Seiki thought she looked a little sad. "Let's just say we seem to understand each other, that's all." She met Seiki's eyes and her mouth twisted into a wry smile. "Perhaps it's because I can sympathize with obsession. After all, I'm quite an old hand at it."

Merle sighed and patted the princess on her arm. "Aren't we all obsessed in one way or another. Sorry Mill, I didn't mean to get on your case. The Lady and I have lots of bad blood between us. I won't hold it against you if you think you find something redeemable in her, just don't expect me to come out to tea with the two of you."

"What is that awful noise?" Celena winced as the squalling of a particularly irate child rose in volume. She paused in checking the smaller cargo to plug her ears and shut out the noise.

"Can't you tell?" Merle grinned, her sharp canines glinting. She looked over her shoulder and out of the main cargo bay door. The Advisor was desperately trying to leave instructions with Yana the cook, who had a firm grip on a familiar bellowing furball.

Seiki peered over a pile of luggage that represented what the Princess had brought with her. "Sosa?"

Millerna placed her last bag - this time her medical kit - on top of the pile. I'm guessing Radan has decided to leave his ward with Yana."

Merle shrugged. "This isn't the time or the place to bring children."

The girls moved further into the ship in search of the ships quarters, leaving Seiki standing along, watching the little one being dragged away from the only family he knew.

The Advisor turned away and closed his eyes.

Seiki hugged herself and shivered.

On the other side of the landing field, another watched the moisy scene as well.

Lady Jessa watched silently, thankful that she, at least, wouldn't be left behind too.

Millerna laughed as she, Merle, and Celena reached the men waiting for them inside the Crusade. Van turned to them with his eyebrows raised.

"Interesting conversation? Merle looks particularly upset." Van commented casually.

"We're talking about the good and bad qualities of Lady Jessa." Celena inserted, grinning at Van's ill-concealed wince.

"Ah, I see," he muttered, "I'm sorry I asked."

Millerna studied the Fanelian king peculiarly. "She adores you, you know Van."

Van gave Millerna a hard look and shook his head. "I don't adore her. I don't even LIKE her. I may not be very good at expressing myself sometimes, but I'm pretty damn sure I've made that clear to her AND her brother."

"Well, at least it's more than what most men will give." Millerna replied cryptically and moved toward the airship docking ramp.

Van sneaked a look at Allen who was making a studious attempt at ignoring the conversation by checking for dirt under his fingernails.

The camaflauged men moved steadily through the undergrowth. The lead man stopped and raised his hand, signallying the rest of the men to do the same. He pulled back the hood of his cloak, revealing Loki's trademark white hair.

"Muse," he murmured.

"Here." Musalen's voice crackled through the tiny ear piece in Loki's ear. A slight rustle to his left indicated Vengeance's position in invisibility mode.

"All in place?"

"Of course. The others are all in position as well."

Loki glanced back at his men, who watched expectantly. There were a few men here and there with fear in their eyes, but for the most part, they waited, patiently, confidently.

_Know what you want, and then take it back._

"We should have brought more than three guymelefs." Loki shook his head at Musalen's voice in his head. It was a rather disturbing effect.

"We don't want to exterminate them, Muse. You know the plan."

"You're too kind for this job, Loki." Musalen's tone turned acerbic at the unwelcomed nickname.

Loki smiled, glad to have scored a point, no matter how slight. "Perhaps." He looked towards the bushes where Vengeance crouched, hidden. "I know that Farell wouldn't have thought so."

There was silence and then, "You did what was necessary."

Loki stared up at the sky where three dots were steadily growing larger. "Yes, I know." Silence.

"Ready, Muse?"

"We're here for you."

Loki nodded. He raised his had, and drew his sword. The three dots in the sky resolved into ships.

Taking a breath, he closed his eyes to steady himself. Slowly, he opened them. They gleamed amber.

"Fire."

Millerna wanted to scream. Wherever she turned on this bloody ship, wherever she tried to find Allen, he somehow managed to elude her even on this limited structure. Will the bastard never give her a chance instead of constantly avoiding her forever?

She stopped in the middle of the hallway and stared out of a small porthole. White, fluffy clouds floated below them in fat, wool-like lumps. Light slanted across the acres of white causing Millerna to squint in the rays that streaked through the glass.

She turned away from the window, blinking the sunlight out of her eyes. Surprised she found Seiki standing there, watching her patiently with a thoughtful look on her face.

"Are you looking for Allen?" Seiki asked softly. To Millerna, Seiki seemed too small and delicate to be capable of wielding a deadly weapon, but Calder, Merle, Celena, as well as many of Van's men swore up and down their various gods that it was fact, not fairy tale.

She certainly had the ability to move without being heard, Millerna thought to herself sardonically. _I couldn't even sense her there until I saw her_.

"Yes. Would you happen to know where the jackass may be right now?"

Seiki laughed. Millerna smiled with her. Seiki had an infectious laugh. "He's talking with his crewmen. He's on the bridge with Merle and the King." A serious look stole the twinkle out of her green eyes. "They want to make sure that they're prepared for any possibilities."

Millerna sighed. "Without me?" Seiki shook her head.

"They sent me to find you. The King wants to make sure that you're informed of everything." Seiki tilted her head, puzzling out the princess's sad expression. "Is there something wrong?"

Millerna force a half-hearted smile. "No, nothing. Don't mind me. I'm just a little preoccupied."

Seiki snorted. "Yes, well, you and everyone on this ship." Millerna moved to follow Seiki as they started to head towards the bridge. "I can't shake this bad feeling I have."

"Is that why you're carrying that?" Millerna gestured to the staff Seiki carried strapped across her back.

Seiki blushed and nervously fingered the strap across her chest. "Like I said. I have a bad feeling."

Millerna eyed her sharply. "Like your mother's bad feelings?" They climbed the short ladder up into the bridge, Millerna following Seiki.

Seiki shook her head and reached for the next rung. Van waited at the top impatiently. "I don't know yet…"

Metal flashed vividly in her mind, and Seiki sucked a breath as she missed the rung. A warm hand grabbed her out reached hand and roughly yanked her up the rest of the way. Flames in her mind's eye, and the scent of smoke, burnt flesh, and blood. Blood. Seiki shut her eyes.

"Seiki!" Van gripped Hitomi's daughter to him and shook her slightly. "What do you see?"

Seiki leaned back and stared at Van's face. He shrank back, startled. Seiki's eyes were frozen amber.

"They come." Her voice was hard and sharp as honed steel.

Merle shouted out. "Basram's ship has been hit!"

"Shit!" Gaddes snarled. "Fried's already down. What the hell! Ambush!"

There was a muffled explosion and the ship rocked heavily to the side. Millerna, taken by surprise, hit the wall hard. Seiki staggered slightly before anticipating the roll of the ship.

"Son of a bitch!" Van hissed. He quickly checked out the window where a cloud of smoke was billowing past. He glanced at the two women. Seiki was helping Millerna to her feet.

"Are the two of you all right?" he asked, concerned. A small trickle of blood ran down Millerna's temple.

"Ouch." Millerna winced as she probed the shallow head wound. Around them, the crew exploded into frenetic activity.

"Gaddes!" Teo bellowed, "We need you below, pronto! The levitation stone on the left wing is gone!"

"Shit!" Gaddes hesitated, glancing at everyone clustered around the princess.

"Go, Gaddes," Van shook his head. "I'll take care of the Princess."

Gaddes nodded. "Right." He jumped down the hole, disappearing without another word.

"Talk to me!" Allen hollered down the hole. Precious seconds were ticking by.

"It's no good!" Gaddes screamed back. "There's nothing there! A chunk of the ship side was taken with the stone!"

"Shit! Boss, we're going to have to bring her down!" Kio struggled with the wheel.

"Get us as close to the other ships as you can!" Van demanded. "The bastards that shot at us is trying to separate us. We need to keep the ships together!"

"Brace yourselves!" Allen shouted. "This isn't going to be pretty."

Van gritted his teeth, bracing arms against the wall and using his body to shield the two women on the floor as the ground rushed up to meet them.

Jessa shook her head to clear the cobwebs. She had been thrown heavily into her brother at first impact, and now chaos had erupted on the bridge of Kerr's airship.

"Jessa! Jessa, are you okay?" Kerr's concerned face peered over her, his hands moving briskly over his sister's limbs to check for any damage.

"What happened?" She whispered, still groggy and somewhat fascinated with how the frenetic activity around her seemed to move in slow motion.

"Ambush, Sir!" The young captain bellowed out a warning. "Mr. President, you need to take cover with the Lady! Freid has gone down, and the Crusade has just been hit!"

_Millerna_, Jessa's mind froze. The one person Jessa felt she could trust other than her brother was on the Crusade. _No._

Jessa scrambled to her feet, shoving Kerr aside in her haste to see outside the window. Men started running outside of the craft, screaming and shouting, as the Crusade landed heavily amongst the trees.

Loki and his men watched the last ship fall with a silent grim anticipation. The Crusade dropped rapidly to the left, aiming towards the quickly scattering mass of people from the crippled Freid and Basram ships. The Crusade straightened roughly before slamming into the trees, driving leaves, branches, and dirt up into a thick cloud.

Loki raised his sword and dropped it in a noiseless swish.

From three separate points surrounding the crash site, a dark wave descended.

"Move! Move, damn you!" Seiki dragged herself to her feet as she dimly heard Allen screaming in the background. Her head hurt. Millerna and Van lay to the side, both groggy as well. Allen and his crew were already outside, struggling to get Alseides ready for battle. Men and women poured out of the trees, enraged and frantic, descending on the bewildered crews of the fallen Freid and Basram ships. Their swords and voices were raised in battle. She glanced out of the side windows on the bridge and paused. Standing a few metres away was a tall humaniod monster of a machine not unlike the Ambassador's Alseides.

Light rippled across it, invisible, yet not. Seiki paused. Something didn't feel right. The guymelef stalked Allen and his men as they frantically defended the Crusade from attackers as they prepared to launch Alseides.

The men didn't know it was there.

Seiki started running, jumping down the hole to the lower deck, pulling the staff around her body until it settled against her side as a sheathed sword.

It was chaos in the lower deck. Smoke billowed in through jagged pieces of wood. Practically the entire side had ben taken out, another chunked gouged out by the trees they crashed into. Seiki leapt onto a broken treetrunk, sprinting up and out of the ship.

The guymelef rose up behind Allen and his men, sweeping aside a cloack of invisible air, and a metallic gleam pointed grimly at the Ambassador's head.

"Allen!" Seiki roared, "Get your men out of there!" The ambassador spun around with his sword in hand, batting away attackers. Seiki jumped down, her body moving faster than the metal giant could follow. Or perhaps, she thought darkly, it simply didn't perceive her as a threat.

Allen met her fierce gaze as she barreled towards him.

"Duck." She commanded, before she disappeared.

He did, all the while trying to keep track of the chaos around him, and stop any attackers from skewering him.

"Boss! Boss!" Gaddes scrambled to where Allen crouched and gaped as Seiki appeared above them, impossibly high. She floated over a disembodied guymelef weapon arm, her sword drawn. She landed lightly in a small crouch in front of them as suddenly the hutch of the guymelef popped open, and the rider frantically scrambled out.

With a hard shove from Seiki, Allen and Gaddes hit the dirt as the giant monster exploded. Flames shot up in the air.

"Son of a bitch! Those are Zaibach machines!" Allen swore. "Where the hell did they come from?" He grabbed Gaddes and shook him hard once. "Alseides. Now!"

Gaddes grunted and took off running. Swinging his sword, Allen cut down a man at his knees as he ran full tilt at the ambassador. By the time he had a chance to look, Seiki had disappeared.

"Shit! Shit!" In the chaos, Musalen's voice crackled in Loki's earpiece. "We lost Ash's guymelef! Damn!" There was more static. Loki's eyes narrowed as bright blonde hair flickered in the windows of the fallen ship he watched.

"Loki!" Musalen snapped in his ear. "Locate the target now! The Ambassador has awakened Alseides!"

Loki smiled tightly and pulled his hood over his conspicuous hair.

"Loki? You have five minutes, damn you!" He heard Musalen grunt in surprise, and man yelling in the distance, and the screech of metal on metal. "Dammit, Loki, can you hear me?"

More white noise in his ear accompanied Musalen's heavy breathing in his earpiece as he listened to her fight an unseen enemy.

A face appeared by the window that Loki was carefully watching.

"Muse?"

A grunt. "Yeah."

His smile turned into a grisly grin.

"Consider it done."

"Excellent." Another clash of metal in the background.

"Muse, one more thing."

"Fuck, Loki, spit it out. I'm trying to fight here."

Teeth shone in the dark, as the muscles in Loki's face tensed briefly. He didn't like the idea of Musalen possibly losing her fight. She was the only friend he had.

"Hurt him."

Muse's laughter echoed in his ear as he silently descended upon his chosen target.

Allen ran to where Alesides stood waiting. The screams and shouts coming from the outher ships told him there were more guymelefs waiting like the one Seiki destroyed. Somehow after the initial shock wore off, it wasn't too hard to believe that Seiki would have a similar ability to see the hidden like her legendary mother.

"It's good to go, Boss!" Gaddes waved the go ahead. "Basram needs help. One of those freaking invisible ones took out one of their melefs. The other won't last much longer."

Allen notted sharply and jumped into Alesides' body. The chest plate rose and helmet closed with a sharp click. Alesides slowly stood, drawing its sword as it did.

Allen moved Alesides toward the whirlwind of chaos as the second Basram melef was speared and destroyed. "Show yourself, you murdering coward!"

Dust kicked up around the destroy melef as it went up in flames. The heat waves undulated strangely, giving Allen a brief glimpse of the invisible intruder.

He snarled and swung Alesides' sword at the rippling image. The stealth cloak vanished an a plain gray guymelef brought its sword up to block Aleside's blow. In the same move, it shoved its fist into Alesides' chest armor, causing Allen to grit his teeth against the jarring impact.

There was no shouting or insults from the other combantant. He thought he heard a voice, as if the rider was talking to himself, but nothing directed to him. It was a grim silence marred by the shrieking sounds of metal against metal.

Allen could feel sweat drip down his face, the heat from the fires cooking him alive inside the cockpit of Alesides' body.

The gray melef snapped its sword, tangling the hilts with Alesides. Allen swore as he struggled to removed his guymelf's sword from the deadly embrace. He blinked in surprise as the faceplate opened to reveal steely gray eyes in a sharp-boned narrow faced intricately tattoed along the left side.

"It's over Ambassador. We have what we need." An emotionless, sexless voice spoke from that frozen fascade.

"What?" Allen shoved the gray melef and tugged back on the tangled sword. "What is it you want?"

His adversary shook his head. "Goodbye Ambassador." The gray melef twisted its sword, releasing the interlocked swords. Surprised, Allend felt Alesides's weight shift backwards. He swore viciously, moving Alesides' sword arm to try and compensate the change.

Too late, the gray melef stepped back and sliced upwards under Alesides outreached hand. Metal screamed as the gray's sword sheared through the arm joint, sending Alesides' dismembered appendage and weapon flying through the air.

Alesides continued its fall, landing heavily to the ground. The impact snapped Allen's head back painfully, and the last thing he heard was the dull roar of flames before everything went black.

Seiki muttered obscene words under her breath as she battled her way through demented people, who continued to assail the ships in a berserker, white-eyed desperation. She found herself caught in an eddy of fighting, bleeding mortals, too far away from the ships to be of any comfort.

Art appeared by her side, a silent giant, swinging his mighty axe as if he was clearing away trees in a forest. People screamed. Blood tainted the air. Seiki glanced up at him briefly, and he winked at her. I got your back, his grin told her. The smile looked morbidly out of place among the dying.

She smacked another attacker on the back of the head with the flat of her sword, grimly working her way towards the Crusade. She had yet to run a man through. Her sword was only flecked with the blood of Art's victims. She was worried about the girls. She had left them in order to help Allen with the invisible robot.

Seiki heard Van's voice raised in a shout. Alseides was being attacked by a non-descript gray guymelef that had it's left back panel done in a deep red. It had a patched, battered look about it that did nothing to hide the fact the rider was very, very dangerous.

The gray guymelef attacked Alseides with the same ferociousness and desperation the attackers on the ground did. However, with the addition of sheer skill and power, the gulmelef was lethal—even to the likes of the ambassador.

A woman screamed, high and shrill, before being abruptly cut off. Seiki shoved another man away, clubbing others down with the base of her sword. The looks on the faces of the men and women who threw themselves at Seiki frightened and unsettled her. Is this the glory that Van's men talked about, her mind wailed. Their looks were of fear, of horror, of sheer torment. It was a look of starvation, not of just food, but of innocence.

No, she could not bring herself to slaughter them.

"Seiki!" She disarmed a young man, no older than herself, who tried to run her through with a sword too big for his bone-rail grip, and smashed her fist into his face. She glanced in the direction where her name had been called.

Millerna lay unconscious on the ground with Merle frantically checking the Princess to see if she still breathed.

Van fought against someone in a black cloak. The attacker moved effortlessly in patterns that were familiar to Seiki as breathing.

Van had been helping the crew as soon as they hit the ground. One by one, people were drawn away to fight, until only Van was left with the girls to hold the ship. Seiki disappeared before he had been able to do anything. He had to force himself to keep moviing, keep fighting around him.

A stranger draped in a black cloak appeared out of no where, and before Van could react, the man had reached Millerna She shrieked her alarm and was promptly clubbed over the head for her trouble. The princess tumbled to the ground, bright hair spilling into a puddle around her.

Merle cried out and rushed to her friend's side with little thought to the man who stood over the princess.

Furious, Van attacked, confident and righteous in his anger. His friend and his only family were in danger. He swept the sword into a two-handed grip, slashing in an arc with the intent to disembowel.

The cloaked man faded back, and Van's sword caught nothing but air. Van jerked his sword up and felt the jarring impact of an impossibly quick response. In an instant,Van went from attack to defense.

The man didn't fight with the same look of desperation as the others who attacked the delegations. The stranger's movements were fluid and smooth, following the silent rhythm of a pattern learned long ago.

A slash appeared on Van's arm, sharp and painful. He gritted his teeth and dug in, desperation welling up within.

He faintly heard Calder's bellow in the distance. Alesides was fighting another guymelef, struggling and outmatched as he was. There was a great boom and the horrible sound of metal being torn away.

The wind blew and white hair snaked out of Van's opponent's dark hood. Van staggered, his foot sliding into a divet in the ground. The stranger didn't miss a beat. Relentlessly, he stepped into Van, beating down the king's sword, and as if playing a silent children's Simon Says, replicated the ruthless move that Seiki performed only moments before.

There was a mild tug, and Van's sword flew effortlessly from his hand. He turned and caught a full look at his enemy's face, amber eyes and white hair. Shocked, Van screamed out Seiki's name.

The stranger jerked back in pain, and snarled. The man called the Fallen One, called Loki, called Seiji, smashed his fist into Fanelian king's face.

Merle growled and leapt at the stranger who attacked her king, claws fully extended, fangs bared in fury. He casually brushed her aside in midleap, Merle's body flying through the air with ease before crashing violently with a tree trunk and falling to a limp heap on the ground.

Loki stood there silently, with the screams and shouts echoing in his ears. A girl's name rang in his ears over and over with familiarity.

He glanced down at his objective, the Asturian princess lying unconscious at his feet. He knelt down and picked her up. Standing, he spoke.

"Muse."

A crackle. "Yes."

"I have her."

"We're done here then?"

"Yes." He paused. "Your oppenent?"

"Down, but not completely out."

"Are you going to kill him?"

She paused. "Not today. We have what we want."

He shifted the princess' weight in his arms. "Call a retreat. I will meet you back at the meeting point." There was a sound of fabric tearing as white wings ripped through from his back. Blood-tipped feathers flew in the air. He looked down at his passenger's sleeping face. "Hang on," he muttered sarcastically, as his wings beat the air, once, twice, before lifting the both of them into the air.

Loki glanced below as he rose, and almost fell in his shock as a mirror to his face stared up at him in agony.

The girl in his dreams stared up in him, her face contorted in pain, an eerily familiar sword in her left hand.

"Seiji!"

He jerked, almost dropping the princess. His gaze locked with the girl on the ground, and he could see her impossibly green eyes turn amber as she raise her unbloodied sword and because to hack away at his men. Fighting her way through them, fighting her way towards him.

He continued to fly away, as horror filled him, knowing somewhere deep in his heart that something was lost. Something very dear to him.

His name, his true name ripped through the air, filled with agony and a blooming rage as he turned away with tears in his eyes.

She could only open her mouth to scream. Her twin's face remained horrifying clear in her mind, the same, yet different. Young but still older than she.

"Seiji!" The shout was torn out of her throat. The man who was her twin, yet not, jerked as if in pain. His amber eyes turned green as they met hers in recognition, yet he still continued to move away. Blood-tipped wings blooming behind him, carrying him away, flying away with the princess of Asturia. Millerna.

"Seiji!"

Her sword lifted mercilessly, scything through flesh like wheat in a field.

Oh, how I hurt, my soul hurts

And still the sword slashed and cut its way through the endless bodies that threw themselves in front of her.

She could only see through a haze, viewing her sword move as if another person wielded it. She couldn't feel and the sounds of battle and the screams of the dying came muffled through a fog. The dead didn't frighten her.

Her thoughts pulled her back into time, the funeral of her father, her mother clawing the winter ground of his grave begging him to come back to her, crying that it was too soon to leave.

She was not afraid of the dead, because the dead walked by her side and slept in her bed.

She was one of the walking dead, her soul forfeit even as she took others.

My soul breaks

Out of the corner of her eye, Art collapsed, cut down by soldiers she couldn't see. The giant bear of a man fell heavily, without a sound, using his body as he fell to protect the girl he was charged with.

"NOOOOO!"

She could hear the sound of fabric tearing behind her and a sharp pain in her back. Feathers flew in the air.

Blood tipped - twin to her twin.

She felt the prophecy reach up and grab her in its black grasping claws.

Jessa ran through the trees, trying desperately to keep up with the fleeting glimpses of wings and Millerna's long blonde hair. She dimly heard Kerr's shout as he realized that his sister has disappeared.

_Foolish_, the voice in her head chided. _Why are you risking yourself for someone you hardly know?_ Jessa shook her head, confused.

_She'll be alone_, she protested to the voice.

_So will Kerr_. Jessa stopped in her tracks with a gasp. What the hell was she doing? She spun on her heel to retrace her steps, when a tall, dark man stepped in front of her with a pearly white grin.

"Well, well, what to we have here? I think the Fallen One might be interested in you,…Lady Basram."


End file.
